iBreathe says ban on e-cigs on transport will make them less attractive to smokers

The London EveningStandard is reporting that electronic cigarettes have received a public transport-wide ban for the entirety of London.

The stealth ban has only recently been rolled out and will affect buses, trains and tubes, resulting in passengers who ‘vape’ risking a fine. Depots, stations and platforms are also affected.

Changes were made in late August by Transport for London (Tfl) who decided not to announce it publicly, instead later arguing that there was no announcement so as to minimise passenger response.

Electronic cigs were already outlawed when riding the Tube but the changes in question will now make it so that the same rules apply to all Tfl premises.

“For safety reasons, on our buses and trains and in our bus and Underground stations you must not smoke or use an electronic cigarette (‘vape’)... You may be prosecuted for disobeying these requirements,” reads Item 4.5.

They say they’re yet to have any problems since the rule extension, claiming that people who do vape will first be given a verbal warning and then potentially fined if the offence is repeated. However, no one has picked up a fine to day.

Director of Health, Safety & Environment, Jill Collis, states that the move is necessary to enforce the smoking ban as staff were finding it difficult to distinguish between people smoking tobacco and breaking existing rules and people using e-cigs.

“The full inclusion was brought in this August to remove potential for confusion and allow staff to approach any customer either smoking or using an Electronic Smoking Device with confidence, ensuring that the No Smoking ban is fully enforced.

“This would mitigate any residual potential fire risk and reduce the potential for staff assault by providing clarity and consistency in the treatment of all customers using our services.”

iBreathe, an Oldham-based seller of electronic cigarettes who regularly share their thoughts on relevant industry news and research, believes the ban could deter people from giving tobacco the cold shoulder.

“This ban will obviously affect e-cig users, preventing them from vaping. But there’s a wider issue here, which is that there are a lot of people out there who are attracted to the idea of e-cigarettes because they provide greater freedoms, such as being able to use them indoors or while travelling to or at work. By effectively treating tobacco products and e-cigs as the same, you’re discouraging smokers from taking up electronic smoking devices,” said a spokesman for iBreathe.

iBreathe sells electronic cigs, liquids and accessories throughout the United Kingdom. Visit their website today at www.i-breathe.co.uk for more info.