England Proposes Ban on Cola and Candy Flavored Vape Names, Plain Packaging

JAKARTA - Almost one in five children and adolescents in Great Britain have tried vaping. The government is now proposing a ban on flavor names that resemble candy, desserts, and alcohol, accompanied by plain packaging so that the product is not too attractive to children.

The proposal is still being discussed in a 12-week consultation. Flavor names will be simplified to direct designations such as "apple", while names such as cola, cotton candy, or those related to alcoholic beverages will be banned.

Quoted from The Independent report on Saturday, July 11, vape devices are also proposed to only be available in three colors, namely white, black, or gray.

The Department of Health and Social Care in Great Britain plans to limit the color of writing, images, brands, and product information. Vapes will also be stored in a place that is not visible to buyers in stores.

Health Minister James Murray said eye-catching packaging and sweet-sounding names could target children and teenagers.

"We want to make sure that children and teenagers don't start using vaping from the start," Murray told the Press Association.

He emphasized that vaping can still help adult smokers quit smoking. However, the government wants to prevent the product from being marketed in a way that is attractive to children.

Data from Action on Smoking and Health or Ash shows that 19 percent of children and adolescents aged 11 to 17 in Great Britain have tried vaping. The figure is almost one in five people.

The head of the British Medical Officers, Professor Sir Chris Whitty, previously called marketing vape to children "absolutely unacceptable".

President of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health Professor Steve Turner believes that strict rules are needed to protect children from nicotine addiction. Nicotine is a substance that can cause dependence.

"For us who work with children every day, it is clear that only strong and meaningful rules can protect them from the dangers of nicotine addiction," he said.

Chief Executive Ash Hazel Cheeseman said the bright colors, images and branding had increased the appeal of vaping to children.

According to Cheeseman, the government still needs to maintain a balance. Vaping is not risk-free, but the dangers are much lower than cigarettes and have helped millions of people quit smoking.

The proposal for plain packaging follows a similar policy for cigarettes that has been in place since 2017. The government also plans to require all tobacco products, including rolling papers and cigars, to use standard packaging.

Cigarette packs can be equipped with information sheets regarding where to get help to quit smoking.

The exception that allows duty-free shops and airports to display tobacco products will also be revoked. If implemented, cigarettes and other tobacco products should no longer be displayed openly at these locations.

The Independent said research led by researchers at University College London and King's College London showed plain packaging could reduce children's interest in vaping without significantly changing adult interest.

The study involved 2,770 children and adolescents aged 11 to 18 years and nearly 4,000 adults.

As many as 53 percent of young participants assessed their peers were interested in trying vape in regular packaging. The figure dropped to 38 percent when the product was shown in a standard packaging with a regular flavor name.

Among adults, interest in vaping has hardly changed, whether the product uses plain white packaging or regular packaging. The results of the study were published in Lancet Regional Health Europe.

Health officials in Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Wales support the restrictions. They assess that bright colors, cartoon images, and sweet flavor names are used to attract children.

Deputy Minister of Health for Prevention and Public Health Wales Nerys Evans said that such marketing methods are not appropriate for products containing nicotine and can cause addiction.

"This is totally unacceptable," he said.