What Are The Regulations?
In 2016, a number of new laws were put into place by implantation of the Tobacco and Related Products Regulations. In the UK this took effect in May 2016 with the overall aim of reducing the amount of smokers. The regulations were also designed to deter young people, and to make very clear the health warnings associated with tobacco products. Today if you walk into a convenience store, you’ll no longer see cigarettes and tobacco in glitzy gold and silver packages. Instead they are replaced with a muddy-green coloured package, with imposing images of dying children and adults in hospital beds, or crutching at their faces in aguish from the crippling disease caused by their tobacco habit. The new regulations also manage the manufacture, sale and presentation of e-cigarettes, their refill containers and other vaping related products.
E-cigarette Advertising
E-cigarettes and refill containers can no longer be advertised or promoted- whether directly or indirectly. It doesn’t matter if it’s an e-pen vape stick, pod mods, or the cig-a-like type- the advertising of all e-cigarettes is strictly prohibited. This means that e-cig manufactures cannot sell their products using media outlets such as on TV, radio, through internet advertising or in specific printed publications such as periodicals, newspapers and magazines. The sponsorship and product placement of e-cigarettes in television and radio programmes is also prohibited. In the vaping industry this did initially cause a stir and forced e-cig manufacturers to change the way they sell their products. But it’s not all doom and gloom for e-cig companies because the new rules don’t’ thwart their business plans completely. These companies are still able to supply information on e-cigarettes and refill containers as long as this is done at the request of the customer and not given in a way that advertises the products, or in a promotional way.
Vape Juices and Sizing Affected
But other aspects of the e-cig industry have also been affected and measures related to new e-juices and hardware products are in place. New liquids and hardware now need a six month approval period and approval costs. The tank sizes for e-cigarettes have also been decreased from 5ml to 2ml while nicotine concentration available to the public have dropped from 24mg down to 20mg. This will drastically affect people who don’t use ‘sub ohm’ or high voltage vaping hardware because it’ll mean they will have to use a lot more vape juice to stay satisfied. This also means people not using the ‘sub ohm’ variety will have to carry more bottles since the new refill container size is set to 10ml. Decreasing the maximum amount of liquid allowed in refill containers is rather nonsensical as it now means that people will be carrying multiple containers of toxic liquid with them. For is an excessive measure considering the aim is for better managed public health.
Grassroots Efforts and E-cigarette Campaigners
Luckily the vaping industry has many advocates and this allows the vaping industry to have a voice which they can use in a way that’s beneficial. They’re able to express frustrations at attempts to demonize the vaping industry and the media frenzy over the harmful effects of e-cigarettes. Without the voice of vaping advocates, the e-cigarette industry might always attract the sort of negative attention that deters people who want to give up smoking from giving it a try. New rules don’t always equate negative repercussions but it appears that the vaping industry have continued to received the unfortunate side effects of what seems to be a campaign designed to make the industry look unfavourable. As new scientific studies are released, maintaining the benevolent nature of e-cigarettes, it is hoped the public perception will change, and the generally mindset towards e-cigarettes altered for good. The big hoopla regarding the news TRPR rules is one thing; the systematic negative and negative media attention is another. Hopefully the truth can be differentiated from the exaggerated and bolstered, and we call all view this industry for what it truly is.