Is the UK at a "regulatory crossroads"? As the Tobacco and Vapes Bill moves toward Royal Assent, a new government consultation threatens to legally ban vaping in all indoor spaces where smoking is already prohibited. In this interview, Bernice Evans, Chair of the New Nicotine Alliance (NNA), joins us to discuss the launch of the "Save Vaping" campaign. We dive deep into why treating vaping the same as smoking isn't just scientifically flawed - it's a massive risk to public health.
- May 8, 2026 (11:59 PM): Deadline to submit your response to the government consultation.
- October 1, 2026: New vaping taxes and business regulations are set to begin.
Take Action: Your voice matters! Visit SaveVaping.org to find resources on how to respond to the consultation and contact your MP. Don't let misinformed legislation undermine years of progress in harm reduction.
Chapters:
11:59 - May 8, 2026 PM): Deadline to submit your response to the government consultation.Transcription:
00:00 - 01:14
[Joanna Junak]
I'm Joanna Junak and this is GFN News on GFN.tv The UK has recently launched a public consultation on making indoor places where smoking is already bandwidth-free and heated tobacco-free by law. In response, the New Nicotine Alliance has launched the Safe Vaping Campaign to oppose these plans, encouraging people to take part in the consultation and highlighting the potential consequences for those using less harmful alternatives to smoking. In today's program, Bernice Evans, Chair of the New Nicotine Alliance, will tell us more about the initiative and why NNA believes the proposed changes might do more harm than good. Hello, Bernice. Thank you for joining us today. Let's start with why the New Nicotine Alliance has decided to launch the Safe Vaping campaign now.
01:16 - 03:25
[Bernice Evans]
Well, the NNA launched this campaign, I think it was the 23rd of June, because the UK is really at a regulatory crossroads. The Tobacco and Vapes Bill is in its final parliamentary stages. So this is the last chance to influence legislation before the Royal Ascent. And the major concern is that the government's proposal to use enabling powers to extend indoor smoking and and the bands to vape it's sort of these combined measures that threaten to treat vaping exactly the same as smoking and which indemnifies the core principles of harm reduction. And what's the main goal of this campaign? Oh, gosh. I would say the primary goal is to ensure that smoking and vaping remains completely distinct. Vaping has to be accessible. It has to be an alternative to tobacco, to be honest. We are specifically promoting this to prevent a national, I'd say, ban in the spaces like pubs, and cafes, restaurants, workplaces, we sort of believe that they should maintain the right or companies and the owners should maintain their own rights to create their own policies based on their clientele, rather than a one style fits all, and that prohibition style. And really mobilizing the Community now with this we're hoping to anyway and with an aim to submit a powerful response to the government that vape free places shouldn't really exist. And you know, compared to the smoke free places, because they are two distinct things and and therefore was it that we've sort of chosen this route to go down to get as many tobacco harm reduction people as possible, just to put in their opinions.
03:26 - 03:38
[Joanna Junak]
Looking at the government proposal to ban vaping in places where smoking is already prohibited, do you think there is any real scientific basis for treating vaping the same as smoking?
03:39 - 04:49
[Bernice Evans]
Oh, gosh, no. There's no credible scientific evidence to support that vaping is the same as smoking. I mean, with smoking, you are burning tobacco. With vaping, it's completely different. You're heating. You know, is it chemicals? So no, it's nowhere near the same. The smoking kills through the combustion. Vapid is just the heated aerosol process and it dissipates within a matter of moments. So it's not nowhere near, you know, it's completely the opposite end of the scale to be perfectly honest. I mean, public health experts in the UK have longed for an awfully long time have maintained that vaping is at least 95% less harmful than smoking. And to be honest, real world evidence shows that exhaled vapor is much better than obviously burning tobacco and things. So the levels that would pose a significant risk to non-users in public spaces are absolutely minimal, if at all.
04:50 - 04:58
[Joanna Junak]
Assuming the ban comes into force, what unintended consequences could it have for adult users and business owners?
04:59 - 06:13
[Bernice Evans]
Oh, gosh. I'd say a blanket ban on vaping in public spaces could inadvertently harm public health. I mean, for adult users, being forced to stand in smoking areas with active smokers could massively trigger relapse for people. especially because they found a healthier alternative. It effectively traps people who have successfully quit cigarettes back into environments of smoke and then obviously the temptation. For business owners, obviously it's slightly different. I mean, the impact is largely economical. And from what I can remember, the government itself has said that the suggested enforcement costs for hospitality is over 500 million. And it would turn the stuff basically into a role of vape police in in their particular establishment. And and it would obviously cause conflict with customers, then, so it is also adding legal liabilities to businesses and the or the business owners who may be find if somebody actually vapes on their premises.
06:15 - 06:23
[Joanna Junak]
The NNA is encouraging people to take part in the consultation and have their voice heard. So when do responses need to be submitted?
06:24 - 07:41
[Bernice Evans]
Well, the government's deadline is the 8th of May at 11.59, just before midnight. However, we're hoping to get as many people as possible to participate. to actually fill out this consultation to give their opinions because I don't know if the government is aware enough. I've watched different debates and things where MPs are coming out with things that really aren't true about vaping. So I'm hoping by the time as many people as possible can complete this well before May the 8th, if possible, to show the government that the public are far more knowledgeable than some of their own staff MPs there. So. Really was it was the new tax begins October the first for the business regulation side of it, the eighth of May is actually the vape bill side of it and and we're hoping just really with the tobacco harm reduction to respond. or the people to respond to the government to encourage others to do so as much as possible. That's what it's there for. It's being shared as much as possible. Everybody that I know that vapes is filling it in, and I'm hoping others that become aware of it do so too.
07:42 - 08:01
[Joanna Junak]
Thank you, Bernice. That's all for today. Tune in next time here on GFN TV or on our podcast. And make sure to check out our social media pages for the latest updates on this year's Global Forum on Nicotine conference. Thanks for watching or listening. See you next time.