New TCRG research: Tobacco and Nicotine Industries’ Responses to UK Tobacco & Vapes Bill
at
-
New TCRG research: Tobacco and Nicotine Industries’ Responses to UK Tobacco & Vapes Bill, Tobacco Tactics, updated 24 March 2025, accessed 05 January 2026.
A new paper from the Tobacco Control Research Group analyses how the tobacco and nicotine industries responded to the UK’s Tobacco and Vapes Bill during the 2023/24 policymaking process.
The researchers examined 43 documents from 33 organizations and individuals – 42% from transnational tobacco companies (TTCs) or organizations with current industry links, and an additional 18% with historic ties to TTCs.
This research is the first to analyse the tobacco and nicotine industries’ response to the Tobacco and Vapes Bill. If implemented, the UK would become the first country in the world to introduce a generational sales ban on tobacco products, alongside strict regulations for nicotine products, including e-cigarettes.
Lead author Britta Matthes notes:
“Despite claims of transformation and support for the government’s smoke-free ambition, Big Tobacco continues to use the same old playbook to undermine public health policies. It is important that policy makers are aware of arguments made by the tobacco industry and its affiliated organisations, and that no amendments will be introduced that create loopholes the industry could exploit, as we have seen in the past.”
Note on the progress of the Bill: The original 2023/24 Bill failed to proceed as a general election was called in May 2024. However, the new government introduced an more ambitious version of the Bill in November 2024. This updated Bill has passed the Committee Stage and will enter the Report Stage on Wednesday 26 March 2025. This is the final opportunity for MPs to review and amend the Bill before its final reading in the House of Commons and subsequent consideration in the House of Lords.
Read the paper:
The UK Tobacco and Vapes Bill (2023/4): framing strategies used by tobacco and nicotine industry actors faced with an endgame policy (a generational sales ban of tobacco products) and nicotine product restrictions, B. Matthes, T. Legg, R. Hiscock, A Gallagher, K. Silver, H. Alaouie, D. Thomas, A. Gilmore, Tobacco Control, Published Online First: 24 March 2025, doi: 10.1136/tc-2024-059207
See also:
- Interference with Endgame Policies
- Don’t fall for Big Tobacco’s tricks – We must stay vigilant as the Tobacco and Vapes Bill moves through Parliament