Support needed for public vaping, says MP Sir Kevin

The Rother Valley MP, who chairs the all-parliamentary health group, was a strong supporter of the 2007 smoking ban and has since backed e-cigs as a safer alternative.

He urged the Government to speed up the publication of the new tobacco control plan during a House of Commons debate.

He said: “We have been waiting some 18 months for it now. A great deal was achieved under the previous plan, progressive tobacco control legislation was introduced, smoking rates among adults and children have fallen below the target levels and rates of smoking during pregnancy are very nearly below ten per cent, which is a huge improvement on a decade ago.”

The new plan is expected to include policies on vaping, which is tobacco-free and involves the user inhaling a water vapour.

Sir Kevin said: “NHS England has told us that vaping is 95 per cent safer than using cigarettes, and it is not a way to get into cigarettes.

“Some 2.8 million smokers have voluntarily gone on to vaping and we need to ensure that the action plan for tobacco recognises that fact.

“More will need to be done to support vaping, perhaps in public places as well.”