Written question WQ90245
- Asked by
- Rhys ab OwenIndependent
- To be answered by
- Minister for Health and Social Services
- Tabled
- Due
- Answered
- Time to answer
- 5 days
Question
How has the Welsh Government been working with the UK Government to close the legal loophole that allows vapes to be given to children as samples?
Answer
Answered by Deputy Minister for Mental Health and Wellbeing
It is clearly unacceptable that free samples of vaping products are able to be given out to under 18’s and I fully support changing the law to close this loophole.
Following the recent UK Government’s Youth vaping: call for evidence the Welsh Government is working closely with the other UK nations to develop comprehensive measures to reduce the appeal and availability of vapes to children. The consultation paper Creating a smokefree generation and tackling youth vaping was published on 12 October and included proposals to increase the age of sale for tobacco as well as measures to restrict the flavours, packaging and presentation of vapes, restrictions on point of sale displays and on the sale of disposable vaping products. The consultation closed on 6 December and the responses are being analysed. Once this process is completed, we will consider our next steps as well as the legislative options, including the potential for the proposed Tobacco and Vapes Bill to apply in Wales as appropriate.