UK Peer Says Brexit Should Be Used to Promote Vaping and Save Smokers’ Lives

The government should leverage the advantages of Brexit to save lives, according to Baron (Martin) Callanan, a member of the House of Lords and a Conservative Party member. He proposed to withdraw from the EU's latest regulations on electronic cigarettes. He believes that smoking policies should no longer be driven by the interests of large pharmaceutical companies and calls for the government to actively promote safer electronic cigarettes as a substitute for smoking.

Callanan was a Member of the European Parliament from 1999 to 2014. As a parliamentary group leader, he attempted to include controversial electronic cigarettes in the EU's revised Tobacco Products Directive, also known as "TPD2."

Callanan expressed regret over misleading reports from tabloids and "public health experts," which have led some smokers to believe that using electronic cigarettes is as harmful as smoking.

He urged the Department of Health to actively promote electronic cigarettes as a safer alternative. He also hopes that TPD2 will lift the ban on stronger nicotine liquids. The EU's maximum nicotine concentration is 18mg/ml, which is lower than the typical starting strength of 24mg/ml for smokers trying to quit.

Lord Campbell-Savours agreed that "24mg strength is necessary for many new switchers to electronic cigarettes" and expressed regret over the new regulations limiting the size of bottles. He pointed out that compliance with the new regulations is costly for e-liquid manufacturers.