Are vaping shops an essential service?

Labour MP Alex Cunningham has asked the Government to allow shops selling vaping products to stay open.

Cunningham has previously campaigned for smoking in cars to be banned when children are present.

Now he is saying that vaping shops should be regarded as essential in preventing ex-smokers taking up the habit again.

In a letter, Cunningham said “Whilst there are some shops that remain open which sell the liquids for vaping products, these tend to be in smaller amounts and as a result can be more expensive. It is still possible to order products online, but not everybody is able to confidently use the internet to make purchases, and there can be longer delays through the post. “

He added “Although an extra few days wait for the liquids may not seem like much, it is enough time for someone to choose the available option of cigarettes.”

Cunningham is not regarded as a friend of the vaping industry, having also campaigned that the smoking ban in public places should also apply to vaping.

Although uncertainty remains over how much more vulnerable smokers are to Coronavirus, it is the case that smokers are more at risk to other lung related diseases.

In China it has been noted that men and smokers were more vulnerable. However almost half of Chinese men smoke, and men are known to travel more than women in China.

Vaping can also harm lung health, so some agencies are arguing that vaping also increases vulnerability to Coronavirus. The vaping industry has responded by saying that linking increased risk to vaping is under researched, and that what studies have been undertaken are based on small sample sizes and are statistically unreliable.