We wrote to the Minister of Health and Social Services in Wales – here
This is the reply:
Yr Adran Iechyd a Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol Department for Health and Social Services
Dear Save e cigs,
Thank you for your e-mail of 2 April addressed to Mark Drakeford AM, Minister for Health and Social Services, regarding the use of e-cigarettes in enclosed public places.I have been asked to reply on this occasion.
The Public Health White Paper, which was launched on 2 April, recognises that ecigarettes, along with other forms of nicotine replacement therapy, may be helpful to smokers in giving up tobacco. However, we are concerned that the use of e-cigarettes in enclosed public places makes it difficult to enforce the current smoking ban, and may normalise smoking for a new generation.
As your email relates to proposals outlined in the Public Health White Paper, it will be forwarded as a consultation response to be considered alongside others submitted as part of the 12-week consultation period. Following this consultation about the Public Health White Paper proposals, a summary report will be published on the Welsh Government website. The Public Health White Paper is available at: http://wales.gov.uk/consultations/healthsocialcare/white-paper/?lang=en
I hope you have found my reply helpful.
Yours sincerely
Paul Haynes Government Business Team
Now, that long link in the letter is important if you are a Welsh vaper, or you run an e cig business in Wales. It’s the link to the White Paper that could impact your right to vape freely.
This what the White Paper is proposing –
“Public Health White Paper”
The ‘Listening to you – Your health matters’ White Paper sets out a series of proposals for legislation to help further improve and protect people’s health and wellbeing in Wales.
Start of consultation: 02/04/2014
End of consultation: 24/06/2014
The proposals cover a range of public health issues, including action to reduce the harms to health caused by smoking, alcohol misuse and obesity. They provide a set of practical actions which, when combined, aim to have a positive impact on health and wellbeing in Wales.
We published a Green Paper in 2012 on the need for a Public Health Bill, which showed broad support for legislation to further improve health and wellbeing. This White Paper builds on that and outlines how we are responding to the main messages received, both through the proposals in this White Paper and the Future Generations Bill.
The White Paper sets out how we will take steps to:
- improve health over the life course through proposals to address the important public health issues of tobacco, alcohol misuse and obesity;
- build community assets for health through proposals to strengthen the role of Local Health Boards when planning and delivering pharmaceutical services, and to improve provision and access to toilets for public use; and
- improve the regulation of certain types of procedures such as cosmetic piercing and tattooing.
Questions 6 – 11 of this White Paper are related to e cigarettes
Our letter has been added as a reply to the consultation, and we clearly state that banning e cigs in public places is wrong. Now it’s your turn. Click on the link in the letter, have a read, and submit your thoughts about vaping, as they will all count.
Save e-cigs 