The government’s plan to ban disposable vapes by next summer has already been trashed by free-market wonks and industry insiders, the prevailing argument – one the NHS touts – being that many smokers turn to disposable vapes to cut back on cigarettes as a safer option. Now the government’s own impact assessment has admitted that the ban will lead to more people lighting up…
According to the report, “29% of current [vapers] will either revert/re-lapse to smoking tobacco” leading to a rise in “the sale of tobacco goods” with the ban ultimately likely to have “health disbenefits.” On top of that, there’s more for the taxpayer to inhale: the policy would burn through £8.6 million in lost landfill tax and add £2.2 million in extra Trading Standards inspections. Small businesses, meanwhile, look to get singed to the tune of £11.3 million over the next decade. Another nanny state policy that’s set to go up in flames…
Speaking to Sky News off the back of Rachel Reeves’ Air Passenger Duty hike, Ryanair chief executive Michael O’Leary said:
“Labour is dependent on those Red Wall seats, and yet every move she makes poisons economic growth and damages the UK’s recovery… it’s the Chancellor who stumbles from policy misstep to policy misstep… I think her policy decisions are incredibly stupid.”