In a press release published last week, the NNA reported that according to media reports, Whitehall sources were quoted as saying that a tax on vaping products is being considered for the autumn Budget. The NNA explained that it strongly condemns the idea of imposing such a tax on products known to be helping millions of smokers quit, or dramatically reduce their cigarette use.
Following this, the NNA together with the IEA, the Adam Smith Institute, Centre for Policy Studies, The Freedom Association, The TaxPayers’ Alliance, and the UKVIA sent an open letter to the Chancellor and Secretary of State for Health, explaining why this tax would be counterproductive and detrimental to the UK in multiple ways.
A ‘sin tax’ on safer alternatives would be counterproductive
“E-cigarettes are a proven safer alternative to smoking and the UK boasts 1.5 million former smokers who have converted from combustible tobacco to exclusively vaping instead. Applying a so-called ‘sin tax’ is completely inappropriate for products which have a successful track record of diverting smokers away from combustible tobacco. Switching from smoking to vaping is not ‘sinning’, it is the exact opposite,” said NNA Chair Sarah Jakes last week.
