Vapes could soon be sold in plain white packages and given boring names

Vapes will soon be sold in plain packaging under proposals which aim to stop the devices being marketed to children.

Health leaders have launched a consultation which also proposes that vape devices can only come in three colors: white, black or grey.

The UK-wide proposals will also see restrictions on flavor descriptions using simple names such as ‘apple’, while banning names relating to sweets, desserts and alcohol.

The consultation also sets out plans to keep vapes out of sight in shops, the Department of Health

Health Secretary James Murray told the Press Association: ‘Today, we’re launching a 12-week consultation about our plans to make vaping less attractive for children and young people.

‘Because I think we all know that the way that some of the vaping products are promoted – the very colorful packaging and names that might be aimed at children and young people – that’s wrong because we want to make sure that, as well as being a smoke-free generation, we want children and young people not to start vaping in the first place.’

‘Vaping plays a role for adults when they’re coming off smoking, but we want to make sure children and young people don’t start it in the first place. So that’s what this consultation is about.’

England’s chief medical officer, Professor Sir Chris Whitty, has said in the past that marketing vapes to children is ‘utterly unacceptable’.

Figures suggest that almost 19% 11–17-year-olds in Britain have tried vaping, according to a poll conducted on behalf of the charity Action on Smoking and Health (Ash).

Professor Steve Turner, president of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, welcomed the consultation, adding: ‘For those of us working with children every day, it is clear that only strong and meaningful regulation will protect them from the harms associated with nicotine addiction.’

Hazel Cheeseman, chief executive of Ash, said: ‘Protecting children from harmful vape marketing is the right thing to do. Attractive, colorful branding and images have driven the appeal of vapes to children, leading to an increase in use.’

The Department of Health and Social Care said that the consultation includes plans for white packaging for vapes with restrictions on text color, imagery, branding and standardised product information.

Officials said that the move follows the success of standardised packaging for cigarettes since 2017.

The consultation also proposes inserts for cigarette packs telling them where to get help to quit and plans to make all tobacco products – including cigarette rolling paper and cigars – come in plain packaging.

And the proposals include plans to remove exemptions which allow duty-free shops and airports to display tobacco products, meaning cigarettes and other tobacco products will be restricted from view in these settings.

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