Decision

RESOLVED that –

THIS COUNCIL NOTES:

1. In the past three years, vaping among adolescents has tripled. Action on Smoking Health (ASH) data shows that 20.5% of 11-17 year olds have vaped in 2023, compared with 8.6% in 2022, and 4% in 2021.
2. Recent Chartered Trading Standards Institute research found that 60% of local trading standards services report high street shops selling vapes or vaping products to children. Trading standards teams reported a significant rise in underage vape sales last year, with more than a fifth of youngsters buying vaping products from newsagents while 16.3% buying them from a supermarket.
3. The LGA has called on its members to step up enforcement to deal with growing numbers of shops selling vapes to children despite the 18 age limit, with many “especially concerned” by child-friendly marketing, including colourful packages.

THIS COUNCIL BELIEVES:

1. The effects of e-cigarettes and vaping are still not yet fully understood - which is especially important in the context of young people, as their lungs are still developing.
2. There is growing evidence that e-cigarettes can help people manage their nicotine cravings – but this isn’t without risk.
3. While research has shown vaping poses a small fraction of the risks of smoking, it is deeply worrying that more and more children – who have never smoked – are starting vaping.

THEREFORE THIS COUNCIL RESOLVES THAT:

1. The council to write to the Secretary of State to call for the Tobacco and Vapes Bill to be published, joining the call from other councils for the government to do so.
2. That work be undertaken to introduce a Healthy Advertising Policy which will look to restrict the advertising of products not conducive to health (e.g. High sugar/Fat foods, vapes, Gambling etc) and for this to be reported back to the relevant Committee for approval.