No Timescale For Restricting Vape Use

The Health Committee tells deputy Andy Cameron that the work needs to be 'prioritised along with other work streams in the Government Work Plan.'

Deputy Andy Cameron asked questions of the Health Committee about vaping in November 2022.

He said it was obvious to him that some shops were targeting single use vapes at youngsters, given the bright colours and the sweet flavours of nicotine vapes being sold, and the way they're displayed.

Today, 29 January, the prime minister will announce a ban on disposable vapes and a restriction on flavours to make them less attractive to children. Deputy Cameron says that needs to happen in Guernsey:

"HSC are slightly dragging their feet a little bit. I've been reassured by their members that something is in the pipeline, but it seems to have taken forever to actually produce this regulation."

Deputy Cameron wrote to Health and told them that 'by the latter years of secondary school, the majority of girls have tried vaping, with many of them using them regularly.'

"I do see this as an epidemic in Guernsey. Surveys show we have much higher percentages of children vaping and it does need acing on as soon as possible."

Deputy Cameron says they present a litter problem too:

"I mean the littering issue, it's almost the most common piece of litter you see around Guernsey now."

In May 2023 the Health Committee told a Scrutiny hearing that it wanted to act on vapes but that it had limited staff to put to the task.

It confirmed to deputy Cameron that a ban to under 18s was its target, but that there were competing workloads in the Government Work Plan.

In response to Island FM’s further enquiries above a time-scale for action on vaping in Guernsey, HSC Vice President Tina Bury said:

“The Committee for Health & Social Care is committed to improving the health outcomes of Islanders through prevention and health improvement initiatives and is under Resolution of the States to work towards regulation of e-cigarettes, now more commonly known as vapes.

The Committee has agreed that it would wish to move towards greater regulation through legislation. Due to their targeted promotion to young people, it would expect the regulation of vapes to include how these products can, or cannot, be promoted, and an age of sale ban to under 18s in the first instance.

  The Committee is also considering other measures such as a ban on disposable vapes.

‘The other Principal Committees are currently being asked for their feedback on the proposals, which will inform the Committee’s policy letter to the States expected to be published later this year.”