I want to set out for constituents my position on the Tobacco and Vapes Bill currently before Parliament.
The bill would ban the sale of tobacco to anyone born after 1 January 2009 (that is to say anyone who would have been 15 by the start of this year). It would also place much tighter regulations on the sale of vapes.
I strongly support most of the second part of the bill but disagree with the first.
Vaping is a relatively new phenomenon which has expanded very quickly. I know several people who have found it extremely useful in helping them give up smoking. However, it is clear that it has also taken off amongst young people in a way likely to lead to long-term nicotine addiction. Whilst vaping does not appear to be nearly as harmful as smoking, its long-term consequences are (for obvious reasons) not yet fully understood. One recent study suggested vaping may be linked to cancer and harms the body like smoking, albeit not to the same extent (see article in The Times here, https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/vaping-cancer-smoking-damage-study-xwtv32fl9).
For those reasons, I very much agree that we should take tougher steps to prevent young people from starting to vape. I do, however, think there are risks in health authorities restricting the number of flavours on sale as there is a danger that this will only fuel an unregulated online market that will not be subject to the same safety checks as shop-bought flavours. I am also not comfortable with the state determining which flavours of a product are suitable for public consumption – I do not believe that government should intervene in consumer choice in this way.
I have similar concerns when it comes to the phasing out of smoking. Whilst I would very strongly discourage anyone from taking up smoking, if an adult chooses to smoke – either occasionally or regularly – then I believe that that is their choice. It is their body, their life, their prerogative. I am not a blanket libertarian; I do not believe that all substances should be legal because not all substances are alike. (Smoking is harmful to the individual, drugs like heroin are more obviously harmful to society as well.)
Nor do I think it should be for the state to tell the 25, 35, 45 or (one day) 75-year-olds of tomorrow that they cannot smoke - particularly when those who may be only a few months or years older will still be able to. I prefer equality before the law.
For these reasons I do not support the bill in its present form and will vote against it at Second Reading. I will consider supporting improving amendments at Committee and Report Stages, and then take a view as to whether I can support it at Third Reading.
In the unlikely event that the bill falls, I will argue that Parliament legislates urgently to make it harder for young people to buy vapes.
I very much continue to support the Prime Minister in the work that he is doing for our country and am grateful to him for giving me the opportunity to express my views in a free vote.
