Imperial Brands Plc, a leading tobacco company, is urging British public health officials to impose a “complete ban” on the promotion of e-cigarettes to teenagers. The company also advocates for stronger regulations on the sale of e-cigarette products to individuals below the age of 18.
In a public statement released on Wednesday, Imperial Brands officially announced its stance on the matter. The company expressed concerns about the increasing usage of e-cigarette products among young people and acknowledged the perspective of Sir Chris Whitty, the Chief Medical Officer of the United Kingdom, who suggests encouraging current smokers to transition to e-cigarettes due to their lower risks. Imperial Brands also supports the prohibition of selling and promoting e-cigarettes to children.
However, the company cautioned against applying similar restrictions on e-cigarettes for adults. It emphasized that banning the sale of disposable e-cigarettes could lead to some nicotine consumers reverting back to traditional cigarettes, which would undermine the positive health trend in the UK.
Imperial Brands supports imposing fines on retailers who sell e-cigarettes to minors and opposes the requirement of a “retail license” for selling e-cigarettes to minors. They cited data showing that the UK’s commercial regulatory standards have seized over 2.5 million illegal e-cigarettes in the past three years.
