Statement: Tax on Vapes

Yorkshire Cancer Research is seriously concerned about the potentially detrimental impact a tax on vapes could have on people with low or no incomes who want to give up smoking.

While it is clear that more needs to be done to prevent young people and non-smokers from taking up vaping, there is little evidence that the tax announced in the Government’s Budget today will have the desired effect.

Instead, those that will feel the brunt of the tax will be the most vulnerable who are unable to afford the increased cost of the stop-smoking aid.

Smoking is the biggest preventable cause of cancer-related death in Yorkshire where nearly half a million people smoke and every week, 90 people are diagnosed with a smoking-related cancer.

There is clear evidence that vapes are an effective tool to stop smoking. Smoking rates in the region have been steadily decreasing and easy access to vaping devices is essential in ensuring these numbers continue to drop. Vaping is a stop smoking-aid, and those who do not smoke should not take up vaping.

It is often the case that areas with the highest levels of deprivation are also the areas with the highest levels of smoking, and increasing the tax on vapes will disproportionately affect the communities that are most in need of stop smoking support.

Yorkshire Cancer Research is committed to reducing health inequalities in the region, and ensuring accessible stop smoking aids for all is an important step in making this a reality. The charity urges the UK Government to reconsider any measures which may lead to an increase in health disparities.