Meeting of the Parliament 01 December 2015
Thank you, Presiding Officer, and good afternoon to you.
When speaking in today’s stage 1 debate on the Health (Tobacco, Nicotine etc and Care) (Scotland) Bill, which is an extensive bill covering many aspects of health and care, I will focus mainly on the sections that deal with tobacco and nicotine and the nicotine vapour products known as NVPs.
NVPs are a relatively new product and there appears to be a general consensus on two points: first, that the evidence base relating to the long-term harm of using NVPs is in its early stages; and, secondly, that they do not have a role to play in helping people to stop smoking. More evidence on the harm that may be caused by NVPs is needed, and I strongly support the Health and Sport Committee’s call for more information from the Scottish Government on how to support research in that area. I also agree with the committee’s recommendation that the Scottish Government consider that the national health service should provide national guidance on the risks and benefits of using NVPs to stop smoking.
We need to learn from the mistakes that society made with cigarettes. NVPs should not be treated the same as tobacco, as they are not as harmful, but we must ensure that the message that they are not as harmful does not confuse people into thinking that they are safe. We need to be careful not to allow the advertising of NVPs to confuse people. It should target existing smokers, not try to increase the number of people who use such products. In the early days of cigarettes, advertisements stated that they could be used as slimming aids and that, instead of eating between meals, people should have a cigarette in order to stay “fit not fat”. Cigarettes can suppress the appetite, so the advertisement was not totally lying, but it was confusing and used images to make smoking look glamorous.
Members of my own family have had serious health problems as a result of smoking. When they began smoking, we did not know the risks to our health; as time went on, the evidence of the risks of tobacco grew but, by that time, it was hard for them to give up smoking. As I said, we should not repeat the mistakes of our past but take a cautious approach to products that still contain substances that we know to be harmful. To secure people’s safety, there needs to be monitoring of the risks in making NVPs attractive. The Scottish Government must ensure that people have the fullest and clearest information presented to them so that they can make a choice. I hope and believe that the bill goes some way towards ensuring that that is the case.
Constituents have written to me about the high incidence of smoking among people with mental health problems. I understand that the incidence of smoking is also falling at a slower rate among these people. We could see people moving from smoking to the long-term use of NVPs as an alternative. I know of one person who has been vaping for a number of years, who, at times of stress, has had two or even three NVPs sticking out of his mouth. Of course, that is his choice, but it draws attention to issues that have not been tested. I therefore wish the committee speed in researching the issues in a bid to protect our citizens.
We know for a fact that smoking has a detrimental effect on health. Many of our citizens have serious health problems as a result of smoking cigarettes. It is unfortunate that the research was not available when many people took up smoking. Now there is a new trend in our communities: people, particularly young people, are using NVPs. That is disturbing. It is crucial that we put in place legislation that protects young people, and it is essential that all people—regardless of their age—know the facts about using NVPs and the dangers that the products might cause in the short term and perhaps the long term.
I wish the committee every success with its deliberations. I hope that the minister will talk about the support that she can offer to the national health service in trying to find resources for further research.
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