Petitioners have called on the House of Lords to “back Lord Callanan’s motion to stop harsh regulations on e-cigarettes which would force vapers back to smoking”.
Lord Callanan has put down a motion which could see the restrictions against e-cigs in the UK scrapped. He wrote: "The Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016 [should] be annulled on the grounds that its restrictions on product choice and advertising of vaping devices were devised before evidence had accumulated that vaping was enabling many people to quit smoking."
Supporters have taken to twitter with the hashtag #lordsvapevote. Most e-cig advertising will be banned, along with bottles of liquid which hold more than 10ml of nicotine and "tanks" with 2ml of the chemical.
This new development could be a game changer, not only for the smaller independent enterprises who would feel the TPD restrictions most keenly, but also for entire vaping community in the UK.
So far, evidence suggests that e-cigarettes may be less harmful than regular cigarettes. The biggest danger from tobacco is the smoke, and e-cigarettes don't burn.
A report published by the Royal College of Physicians has said e-cigarettes should be promoted as a less harmful substitute for smoking.
