Letter: Vaping is a safer option

I AM writing in response to your recent article ‘E-cig users are warned of fire danger’.

As a responsible trade association we take this issue very seriously. We urge all vapers to follow the excellent advice provided by the Fire and Rescue Service to follow the manufacturer’s instructions and only use the charger provided with their vaping device.

Whilst these individual incidents are shocking, it is important that it is kept in perspective. There are now at least 2.8 million people vaping in the UK. The latest figures show that there were 43 fires attributed to vaping device batteries and/or chargers in 2013 compared to 2,318 fires attributed to tobacco cigarettes. Out of all incidents reported in 2013 vaping device batteries and/or chargers related fires accounted for 0.1 per cent of the total.

Richard Hyslop, chief Executive Independent British Vape Trade Association

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