The UKVIA Vaping Industry Forum will now take place on Friday 18th November after it was originally cancelled in September following the passing of the Queen.
Discussions on youth vaping, environmental sustainability, sale of non-compliant products and ensuring consistency of attitudes and policies towards e-cigarettes in the health service will take centre stage.
Says John Dunne, Director General of the UKVIA:
“These are all critical issues that need urgent attention and action. The government-commissioned independent review by Javed Khan in the summer highlighted that vaping has a pivotal role to play in making smoking obsolete. However, we have to be deserving of this opportunity. Consequently, we have to get our house in order and then we can show the doubters and misinformers that we can make a major impact on the health of the nation without damaging the environment and without putting children at risk from vaping.
“In the last few months credible reports have shown that youth vaping amongst 11-17 years has increased from 4 to 7% between 2020 and 2022. In addition, whilst tobacco waste is one of the most abundant forms of plastic pollution in the world with trillions of individual cigarette butts polluting the global environment, a recent study by Material Focus, who will be represented on our environmental sustainability panel, has revealed that over 50% of disposable vapes are thrown away compared to 33% on average for all types of vapes.
“We have to take these reports seriously and we need to act upon them. We are already doing huge amounts supporting our members and collaborating with the regulators and other authorities to address these critical issues that the industry faces.”
The Forum will also put the spotlight on the healthcare community and the need for it to embrace vaping universally if the full public health prize of e-cigarettes is to be realised.
Adds Dunne:
“There is still too much inconsistency in the healthcare service regarding vaping despite the fact that it is seen by Government as playing a key role in a smokefree future. For example, a report conducted just 3 years ago revealed that the majority of NHS trusts in England were still banning vaping on hospital grounds despite a call by Public Health England in February 2018 to make e-cigarettes available for sale in hospital shops and to remove restrictions on their use. Similarly vape shops are very much the exception rather than the norm on hospital premises and are seen as controversial developments.
“Whilst vaping is acknowledged by public health bodies as carrying considerably less risk than smoking, and recent trials of vape products amongst patients with smoking conditions in A&E departments has proven successful, much still needs to be done to gain universal support for vaping in healthcare settings; and to increase the knowledge of frontline staff in order to tackle misinformation around the category.”
There have been a number of additional speakers and panellists to the original programme. The complete line up now includes:
- Mark Pawsey, Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Vaping
- Adam Afriyie, MP for Windsor and Vice-Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Vaping
- Dr Colin Mendelsohn, Tobacco Treatment Expert & Author
- Dr Sudhanshu Patwardhan, Director, Centre for Health Research and Education, University of Southampton Science Park
- Alexander Kvitashvili, Public Health Adviser, Consumer Choice Centre
- Mohammad Agrabawi, Senior Director for Government Affairs and External Communication, ANDS
- Azim Chowdhury US Vaping Regulation Attorney
- Andrew Chevis, Chief Executive, CitizenCard
- Iain Corby, Executive Director, Age Verification Providers Association
- James Lowman, Chief Executive, Association of Convenience Stores
- Adrian Simpson, Retail Products Policy Adviser, British Retail Consortium
- Shahid Razzaq, Deputy Vice-President, Federation of Independent Retailers
- Owen Good, Head of Economic Advisory, Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR)
- Shane MacGuill, Global Lead, Nicotine and Cannabis, Euromonitor
- Tim Phillips, Managing Director, ECigIntelligence
- Doug Mutter, Manufacturing & Compliance Director, VPZ
- Dan Marchant, Founder and Joint Owner, Vape Club
- Damian Stevens, Business Development Manager, 1account
- Jim Needell, Chief Client Officer and board sponsor for Climate Change & Sustainability, IPSOS Mori
- Stewart Price, Scheme Manager, Waste Experts
- Matt Crann, Sales Director, Riot Labs
- Scott Butler, Executive Director, Material Focus
- Dr Rachel Murkett, Project Director (Life Sciences), Biochromix
- Jeannie Cameron, JCIC International
- Dr Marina Murphy, Scientific Communications & Engagement Expert
- Autumn Bernal, Founder, Toxic Creative
- Bridget Gildea, Consultant for Public Good
- Professor Imad Lahoud, Chief Technology Officer, MEDAD Technologies
Panel debates:
- Vaping for Better Health: This will explore how the healthcare estate and profession can play a key role in speeding up the realisation of the massive public health prize presented by vaping.
- Gaining a reputation for responsibility – product compliance and regulatory enforcement (Part 1): This will debate the industry’s biggest risk – the sale of vape products to minors as well as those which are either non-compliant with UK regulations or are counterfeits.
- Gaining a reputation for responsibility – product compliance and regulatory enforcement (Part 2): This panel puts the spotlight on the retail sector who hold the key to preventing the sale of vape products to minors as well as those which are either non-compliant with UK regulations or are counterfeits.
- Gaining a reputation for responsibility – putting the spotlight on sustainability: This discussion will hear from industry players who are introducing sustainable practices and innovating new environmentally-friendly products, as well as sustainability specialists.
- Innovating in the Vaping sector: Supporting the journey towards Smokefree 2030: This session will hear from R&D, technology development, health and safety and behavioural insights experts as well as industry players to discuss how vaping can evolve to maximise public health opportunities and help the government achieve its Smokefree ambitions.
In addition to the panel debates, the Forum will also be the launchpad for the UKVIA’s Economic Impact Report, which has been conducted by the Centre for Economics and Business Research. The study will for the first time provide hard evidence of vaping’s contribution to the UK economy.
Doug Mutter, a director of VPZ, the largest independent vape retail chain in the UK and headline sponsor of the event, says:
“It’s key that the industry tackles the challenges head on.
“We have been given a golden opportunity to play a major role in creating what would have been unthinkable at the beginning of this century – making smoking history. Let’s seize that opportunity with both hands, starting with a number of action plans that arise from the Forum. As the headline sponsor we look forward to seeing everyone at the Forum.”
The Forum will also include a B2B exhibition and will be followed by a Vaping Celebration Dinner and the Recognition Awards. These awards will recognise those individuals and organisations who have done so much to promote and progress the sector.
Sponsors for the Forum include VPZ, FEELM, Geek Bar, 1account, Arcus Compliance, SP2S, Zanoprima Lifesciences and MEDAD Technologies. The dinner and awards headline sponsor is also VPZ and other sponsors include ANDS (Alternative Nicotine Delivery Solutions), Geek Bar, Arcus Compliance, Waste Experts, UKVIA, JBP and World Vape Show. Vapouround is also a media partner for both the Forum and Dinner.
Due to increased demand more tickets have been made available for the Forum and Dinner and bookings can be made at www.ukvia.co.uk/ukvia-forum-2022/.
