E-cigarette sexing up smoking, say campaigners
Anti-smoking campaigners have accused TV advertisements which show e-cigarette use for the first time of “sexualising” vaping.
Following a change in the law, the advert for VIP e-cigarettes featuring a woman exhaling vapour, were due to debut last night in a commercial break during the historical crime drama Grantchester on ITV1.
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Hide AdBut campaign groups have said the tobacco-free gadgets should not be aimed at a general audience.
Deborah Arnott, chief executive of anti-smoking charity Ash, said: “Vaping is safer than smoking but it’s not harmless and e-cigarettes should only be promoted to smokers.
“VIP are clearly trying to create media controversy over their advertising on the assumption that any publicity is good publicity.
“But they’re missing the point as far as Ash is concerned.
“These ads sexualise e-cigarette use and do not make clear that these products are not for a general audience but are aimed at smokers.
“Ash doesn’t see how these ads conform to the new advertising rules and if they do, then we are seriously concerned that the rules are not fit for purpose.
“Responsible advertising of e-cigarettes has its place, but this isn’t what we’d call responsible advertising.”
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Two versions of the advert – one lasting ten seconds and the other 20 seconds – are to run after the watershed over a period of five weeks.
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Hide AdThey can be broadcast following a legal change in the restrictions authorised by the Advertising Standards Authority, which came into effect yesterday.
Dave Levin, co-founder of VIP, said the new campaign would mark the first time in almost 50 years that TV audiences see someone exhale what appears to be cigarette smoke.
“We aren’t afraid to provoke a debate about e-cigarettes,” Mr Levin said. “They are part of our society and we’re offering our customers a healthier alternative to smoking.
“Recently, two separate papers in the UK have accused the World Health Organisation of exaggerating the dangers posed by e-cigarettes.
“One concluded that for every million smokers in the United Kingdom who turned to e-cigarettes, 6,000 premature deaths would be prevented each year – which would have a huge impact on public health, let alone NHS budgets.”
Geraint Davies, Labour MP for Swansea West, said the advert was “a disgrace and is something that will encourage under-age smoking and smoking overall”. Dr Penny Woods, chief executive of the British Lung Foundation, said: “Advertising guidelines are very clear on this: no e-cigarette advert can be targeted at non-smokers or portray smoking in a positive light.
“If this new advert does contravene the guidelines, the punishment will need to be severe enough to ensure that the manufacturers do not benefit from it, either by promoting their product in an inappropriate way or from the storm of publicity that will accompany it.”
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