In the United Kingdom, The UK Vaping Industry Association (UKVIA), a new association for the defense of the vaping industry has just appeared. If we could rejoice at such news, we quickly find ourselves cooled by the omnipresence of the tobacco and pharmaceutical industry within this association. So what can we really expect from UKVIA ?
PRESENTATION OF THE UKVIA (THE UK VAPING INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION)
According to the association's official website, UKVIA was created to support all groups in the vape industry, and aims to represent all responsible and ethical vape companies in the UK, regardless of size. or their operations. UKVIA is defined as the voice of this booming and emerging sector that drives innovation forward. In addition, the association aims to be the link between the vaping industry, the government, health organizations and consumers. UKVIA wishes to provide guidance to help their members meet the most important standards.
UKVIA is a collaborative organization and is not owned by any person, company or group of companies. The Association is made up of 13 founding members, representing a significant share of the vaping market. All members have equal voting rights with regard to the future of the Association. Based in the heart of Westminster, UKVIA will campaign for sound, evidence-based product regulation so that the e-cigarette industry is understood by policymakers.
UKVIA, A GANGRAINE ASSOCIATION BY BIG TOBACCO AND BIG PHARMA
To see the presentation of this association, one would almost have the impression of being faced with a kind of English Fivape but looking in detail we discover that a good part of the founding members are in reality part of the tobacco industry or pharmaceutical industry. On the 13 founding members we find :
Online Shop / Wholesaler :
- VapeClub
- EcigWizard
- Madvapes
- Vaporiz
- Vaporized
Cigalike brand :
- JTI (Japan Tobacco)
- Gamucci
- British American Tobacco
- Fontem Ventures
- Philip Morris
Laboratory / Pharma :
- Nicopure Labs (Halo)
- Nerudia (Pharmaceutical Industry)
REGULATION, TAXES, WIND IS IT TURNING?
Of the 13 founding members, we can therefore see that half are either part of the tobacco industry or the pharmaceutical industry. But the most worrying thing is to see some important UK shops allying with these industries, so one wonders if the tide is not changing. However, it is in the United Kingdom that the fight in favor of the e-cigarette is the most intense with the famous report of the PHE (Public Health England) which announced the e-cigarette as 95% less harmful than tobacco. This is probably why the tobacco and pharmaceutical industries have decided to set up in the United Kingdom, a real stronghold of the e-cigarette in Europe.
With the implementation of the European directive on tobacco and the various regulations to come on the e-cigarette, the creation of the UKVIA falls badly and clearly shows that the tobacco and pharmaceutical industries have decided to move up a gear to appropriate the e-cigarette industry by making its mark in political and health relations.
Source : Ukvia.co.uk/
