Welsh Schools And Workplaces Act To Restrict E-Cigarette Use

The Welsh Government is looking to restrict e-cigarette use in public places inline with conventional cigarettes, with new data offered to backup their case.

Two new surveys show the extent to which schools and workplaces have developed policies to control the use of e-cigarettes.

The surveys, carried out by the Welsh Government, come ahead of the Public Health Wales Bill, which is due to be published this summer with Health Minister Mark Drakeford publishing a Health White Paper last year that claimed smoking could be ‘re-normalised’ through e-cigarette use.

Of the schools in Wales which responded to the small-scale survey:

• – Around three-quarters of secondary schools (74%) and a third of primary schools (34%) already have an e-cigarette policy, or intend to develop one
• – The principle reason given by primary schools (61%) and secondary schools (72%) for developing a policy was to help with enforcement of the existing smoking ban
• – Around a third of the primary schools and just under half of the secondary schools with an e-cigarette policy said that one of the reasons for having one was because they were concerned that e-cigarettes will lead to children smoking tobacco, or that it will make smoking tobacco more acceptable

No primary schools reported the use of e-cigarettes on the premises but 17% of secondary schools that replied to the survey said they had seen pupils using e-cigarettes on their grounds. 31% of secondary schools in Wales took part, and just 13% of primary schools.

Among the workplaces which responded to the small-scale survey:

• – Almost three quarters (73%) of the large employers had a policy prohibiting e-cigarette use compared with around one third (36%) of the small and medium sized employers (SMEs)
• – The main reasons for developing a policy were to bring e-cigarette use in line with existing smoke-free policies (79% of the large employers and 59% of SMEs) and to help with its enforcement (71% of the large employers and 59% of SMEs)
• – Half of the large employers reported that e-cigarettes were currently used on their premises compared with a quarter of SMEs.

Health and Social Services Minister Mark Drakeford said of the survey results: “These surveys provide an early indication of the extent of existing, voluntary policies covering e-cigarette use in schools and workplaces.

“We set out radical proposals in our Public Health White Paper including bringing the use of e-cigarettes in public places in line with conventional cigarettes as a way of protecting people’s health.

“I am concerned that the use of e-cigarettes in public and work places undermines the smoking ban and may re-normalise smoking, especially for a generation who have grown up in a largely smoke-free society.”

Do you agree with the proposed public e-cigarettes ban to bring them in line with tradition e-cigarettes? Let us know on our forums, Facebook page and @Wrexham on twitter!