Vapers Deserve Better: what BAT UK believe the government needs to do to stop half a million people returning to smoking

Asli Ertonguc, Area Director Western Europe | BAT UK

3 min read28 September 2025 Partner content

Back in 2019, the UK set a bold goal: to be smoke-free by 2030 – an ambition BAT UK supports.

We believe vaping will be key to achieving this, but its future is at a crossroads. Sadly, not all vapes are made equally.

The sector faces serious threats from irresponsible actors who flout regulations, ignore basic quality and neglect product stewardship.

The industry is crying out for responsible leadership, and so we at BAT UK are taking a stand. As an industry leader, there is a duty on us to make a positive difference, and this week, we are launching our new Vapers Deserve Better campaign. This initiative aims to address the critical challenges facing our sector and calls for the implementation of robust, enforceable regulations.

With the Tobacco and Vapes Bill still progressing through Parliament, there is no excuse for inaction.

Specifically, we are calling for the introduction of mandatory pre-market testing, the immediate roll-out of a retail licensing scheme, and harsher penalties for those who think the rules do not apply to them.

And let us be clear: without these measures, the UK is in serious danger of worsening the smoke-free progress it has made to date.

A study, conducted by polling agency Obsurvant,^1,2 revealed that two-thirds (67 per cent) of the UK public surveyed think vaping is as harmful, or more harmful, than smoking. This is despite clear guidance from the NHS,³ Public Health England,⁴ and Office for Health Improvement and Disparities⁵estimating that vaping poses only “a small fraction of the risks of smoking”. Alarmingly, six in ten smokers and more than half of vapers surveyed share this view.

This belief carries real risks. The study found that 10 per cent of UK vapers surveyed are now considering returning to smoking. If this figure were representative of the entire UK vaping population, it would correspond to approximately 560,000 individuals. If this belief continues, Britain potentially risks its first rise in smoking rates since records began in 1974.

To many, these results may not come as a surprise. After all, it takes one bad apple to spoil the whole bunch, and this sector has suffered time and time again from rotten fruit.

It may surprise some that more than half of the public (53 per cent) surveyed are unaware that NHS guidance explicitly states: “nicotine vaping is not risk-free, but it is less harmful than smoking.”⁶ When told this, belief in the statement that vaping is “as harmful” as smoking fell from 67 per cent to 52 per cent.

In its current form, the government’s proposed legislation is in danger of further propelling these views. Take the proposed advertising ban on nicotine products as an example.

A key element of helping smokers move away from smoking is ensuring that they are educated on the availability of alternative high-quality smoke-free products. On the contrary, a ban on advertising could unintentionally limit smokers’ awareness of these products and reduce their chances of making the switch.

So, with five years left until 2030, time on the UK’s smoke-free ambition is running out. Policymakers need to act decisively. Introduce mandatory pre-market testing. Enforce a national retail licensing scheme. Impose real penalties on those who ignore the rulebook.

In a market governed by these rules, bad behaviour will become a thing of the past, and vapers will have access to the safe, high-quality products they deserve.

BAT UK banner on vaping regulations