According to a report by Better Retailing on January 24th, the UK government is urgently urging for strict restrictions on the use of e-cigarettes by teenagers. Independent retailers will soon be facing new regulations on e-cigarettes.
Lindsay Mennell Keating, the Head of Corporate Legal Affairs at Imperial Tobacco in the UK and Ireland, also expressed the company's stance on the matter.
Lindsay states that strict e-cigarette regulations have been in place in the UK for the past seven years, and the stance of Imperial Tobacco and the government on this issue has always been clear. Lindsay adds, "We have been communicating with the government to express our position. We have been calling for stricter e-cigarette regulations for many years. We are pleased that they have finally recognized the need to catch up with market developments and establish relevant regulations.
Imperial Tobacco strongly opposes the notion of an intergenerational smoking ban. While they acknowledge the need to transition towards a smoke-free future, they contend that there is controversy surrounding how to achieve it. They believe that a smoking ban for one generation would exacerbate the existing issue of illicit trade, which already troubles retailers. This could potentially lead to an increase in organized crime as well, while also posing additional challenges for retailers in determining who can legally purchase tobacco products.
Imperial Tobacco believes that the government has several means to reduce the use of e-cigarettes among young people. They support banning cartoon images that are specifically designed or intentionally appealing to teenagers, such as those featuring animals. However, they do not support plain packaging or standardization of the devices themselves. As for reducing the sale of illegal tobacco and e-cigarettes, Imperial Tobacco advocates for increased government funding and improved education to help distinguish between legal and illegal products. They also support the implementation of fixed fines, but they must be sufficiently high to deter retailers from engaging in illegal activities.
Currently, Imperial Tobacco is actively searching for new ways to innovate their products while ensuring maximum environmental friendliness. They have implemented a recycling scheme that applies to all e-cigarette products, not just disposable ones. In addition, they are encouraging retailers and consumers to responsibly dispose of disposable products. They are soon to announce news regarding their focus on new product developments and their plans to address sustainability issues.
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