NEWS
FILLING IN THE
GAPS
UK MPs have launched an inquiry into e-cigarettes in
the hope of settling some key debates and aiding the
progress of policy
The UK’s Science and Technology Select Committee has opened
an offi cial inquiry into e-cigarettes. The Committee has described its
mission as examining “the impact of electronic cigarettes on human
health (including their effectiveness as a stop-smoking tool), the suit-
ability of regulations guiding their use, and the fi nancial implications
of a growing market on both business and the NHS.”
The current Chair of the Committee is Norman Lamb, MP. He iden-
tifi ed the signifi cant growth, increasing mainstream acceptance and
undeniable effectiveness of the UK e-cigarette market as factors be-
hind the launch, but shows some trepidation over unknowns in re-
search and unsettled regulatory issues:
“Almost 3 million people in the UK now use e-cigarettes, but there are
still signifi cant gaps in the research guiding their regulation and sale.
They are seen by some as valuable tools that will reduce the number
of people smoking ‘conventional’ cigarettes, and seen by others as
‘re-normalising’ smoking for the younger generation.
“As a relatively new innovation, we also need to understand more
about the potential long-term health impacts of vaping and its impact
on public health and the NHS. It is crucial that the public has access
to clear evidence on the potential benefi ts and risks of these products
so that they can make informed decisions…We want to understand
where the gaps are in the evidence base, the impact of the regula-
tions, and the implications of this growing industry on NHS costs and
the UK’s public fi nances.”
12 | VM14
On October 25, the Committee opened up the inquiry for written
submissions via its offi cial page at parliament.uk. According to the
announcement, they would take in any material that could provide
a thorough insight into: “the health, regulatory and fi nancial
implications of e-cigarettes.”