The U.K. Vaping Industry Association (UKVIA) has branded Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s new Pride in Place program “seriously flawed,” warning it risks driving ex-smokers back to cigarettes and fueling the illicit vape trade. The plan would allow residents to block new vape shops on their high streets. UKVIA Director General John Dunne said this wrongly equates specialist vape stores with betting shops and other “unwanted” outlets, despite vaping being “the most effective method of helping adult smokers quit.”
Instead, UKVIA is urging the government to introduce a compulsory vape retail licensing scheme, funded by retailers, to keep vapes out of unsuitable venues and support tougher enforcement against rogue sellers. Dunne argued that blocking legitimate vape stores undermines the U.K.’s smoke-free targets and risks strengthening the black market.
