For immediate release 15 April 2015
Liberal Democrat manifesto supports vapers!
The Liberal Democrats manifesto released today Wednesday 15 April 2015 recognises that electronic cigarettes are a way out of tobacco for many people, and that any restrictions should be proportionate and evidence based. (1)
The party has also ruled out a ban on vaping in public places. There is no evidence of bystander harm from vaping and making it more difficult for people to vape risks discouraging smokers from making the switch from tobacco to e-cigarettes. In addition, forcing vapers to stand with smokers and be exposed to the product they are trying to avoid, seems somewhat perverse.
Rebecca Taylor, Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate for Morley and Outwood, former Yorkshire and Humber MEP and campaigner on tobacco harm reduction (2) welcomed the move:
"I am very glad that my party has taken a Liberal and pragmatic position on e-cigarettes and vaping. I hope that other political parties will see through the misleading research put out by some (3) and come to the same conclusion".
ENDS
Notes for editors
(1) The manifesto text (on page 76 http://www.libdems.org.uk/read-full-manifesto) is: "Carefully monitor the growing evidence base around electronic cigarettes, which appear to be a route by which many people are quitting tobacco, and ensure restrictions on marketing and use are proportionate and evidence based. For example, we support restrictions ton advertising which risks promoting tobacco or targets under 18s, such as those introduced in 2014, but would rule out a statutory ban on “vaping” in public places."
(2) In a personal capacity Rebecca Taylor is an associate of the New Nicotine Alliance (http://nnalliance.org/about-us/associates/40-taylor) and is on the advisory board of a large scale study on the use of e-cigarettes, which is currently applying for funding.
(3) For a good explanation of much of the misleading research on e-cigarettes, please see: http://scienceblog.cancerresearchuk.org/2015/02/12/a-marathon-not-swings-and-roundabouts-the-evidence-on-e-cigarettes/
Contact:
email: rtaylorlibdem@gmail.com
Twitter @RTaylor_LibDem
I know that you personally mean well, but any claim by the Lib Dems to support vaping rings dreadfully hollow after the TPD debacle. None of you voted against it. Most voted for. That sort of support we can do without.
ReplyDeleteWhat are your views on the TPD especially article 20 that will put vaping into the hands of big tobacco?
ReplyDeleteWhilst I appreciate your own input on ecigs Rebecca i feel the only way to have sensible regs on ecigs is to tear up art 20 and leaving the EU is the only likely way to do so legally.
ReplyDeleteYour unfailing support for vaping is much appreciated. It appears from the manifesto that you’ve now convinced the rest of your party and that can only be most welcome. Good luck!
ReplyDeletePretty meaningless though, seeing as a (Lib Dem-backed) EU law will ban everything except cigalikes 13 months from now. I'd like to hear how the Lib Dems propose to fix this mess they helped create, but as long as well-meaning people like Rebecca are in denial about what the TPD will actually do I'm not very optimistic.
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