Member

I am not concerned about the forthcoming increased tax on vapes because one of my objectives is to deter young people taking up vaping when they have never smoked. These things are just as addictive as tobacco because they contain the addictive element—nicotine—even though they do not contain tobacco’s other harmful ingredients. However, I still regard them as harmful, albeit less so than tobacco, since once youngsters are addicted to nicotine, the tobacco manufacturers that make them have got them for life, or at least for as long as it takes them to quit vaping. There is an issue here as many young people who are addicted to vaping would like to quit, but they find it very difficult. We have heard complaints that there are no vaping cessation services to help them, so the Minister may wish to say something about that.