Scottish Government urged to follow Australia’s lead…
Connor M, Bussey K. Scottish Daily Express. Scottish Government urged to follow Australia’s lead and make vapes prescription only. 3 July 2023, Since October 2021, Australians have needed a prescription to legally obtain nicotine-containing vaping products, which are only given for three to six months.
Scottish ministers are being urged to copy Australia and make e-cigarettes prescription only to tackle a new “epidemic of vaping” among young people.
Australian Professor Mike Daube, speaking at a government meeting sponsored by ASH Scotland, said: “The Australian approach is based on evidence about what works and concern that marketing and promotion of e-cigarettes and similar products are threatening our successes in reducing smoking.”
Daube warned: “We are facing a new epidemic of vaping among young people, and a resurgent tobacco industry seeking to promote its novel products while doing everything it can to distract attention from the harms of cigarettes and to prevent the measures we know will reduce smoking.”
https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/lifestyle/health/scottish-government-urged-follow-australias-30346010
Comment: This concern follows a dramatic increase in youth use of disposable e-cigarettes in Scotland, causing health and environmental effects. A recent report by Zero Waste Scotland shows that “in the year prior to April 2023, the number of disposable vapes consumed in Scotland was estimated to be between 21 and 26 million units. The lithium polymer batteries used in some of the most popular e-cigarettes could be recharged 500 times if the product allowed. The total emissions associated with single-use vapes in 2022 was estimated to be between 3375 and 4292 tonnes CO2e.” https://www.zerowastescotland.org.uk/resources/environmental-impact-single-use-e-cigarettes
Stephen Hamann
