An Even More Positive Outlook for Vaping in the UK

[JCinFLA]

Just received a newsletter from innokin a short while ago. As part of it, they linked to the following vape News article. I found it really interesting and thought others would also. The UK has already had a totally opposite view toward vaping than the powers-that-be have had here in the US. Now, the potential outlook for the future of "vaping" in the UK is even more positive.

Vaping Weekly: UK MPs Call for Progressive Approach to Vaping

 

[Ed Brown]

I want to say that the US govt pinheads will eat their words, but they won't.

 

[Falconeer]

Do I believe that what is laughingly called the (Temp) UK Government will resist any chance of taxing vaping? No I don't.

 

[CMD-Ky]

Do I believe that what is laughingly called the (Temp) UK Government will resist any chance of taxing vaping? No I don't.

I say "tax, yes; destroy, no". The Brits may have enough sense to realize that it makes little to no sense to kill a taxable business especially when that business also has the potential to reduce the cost burdens on their health system. We here in the former Colonies look only at the short term (check our disgraceful national debt) and never look at the long term costs/benefits/detriments.

We call these things "unintended consequences" but as a practicing skeptic I question the "unintended" part of all that we do.

 

[Falconeer]

Sadly I have been here before - in the early 70s a new cellulose tobacco substitute was launched called NSM (New Smoking Material ).
It was launched at a good price but promptly withdrawn pending Government and Pharmaceutical Industry Investigation.

Some years later it reappeared BUT the then Government decided it would be taxed and priced the same as straight tobacco.

It limped on for a couple of years and then sunk without trace.

 

[sonicbomb]

I think it may be as simple as this -

The UK has government funded health system. Therefore anything that reduces the number of sick or dying is a direct saving or money and resources.

In the US sick and dying people is big business. Also government bribery is both open and legal.

 

[JCinFLA]

I think it may be as simple as this -
The UK has government funded health system. Therefore anything that reduces the number of sick or dying is a direct saving or money and resources.

I agree. Their past/current encouragement of smokers to switch to vaping (even giving out free starter kits in some hospitals), and their call for a progressive approach to vaping for the future...is a "win win" situation though. It definitely benefits the government, but also the people. Current vapers, and those who now and in the future may want to switch to vaping...will still be encouraged and able to do it.

What a glaring difference that is, compared to here in the US.

 

[Opinionated]

I think it may be as simple as this -

The UK has government funded health system. Therefore anything that reduces the number of sick or dying is a direct saving or money and resources.

In the US sick and dying people is big business. Also government bribery is both open and legal.

I might actually slightly disagree with you here in that the U.S. has Medicare and Medicaid for low income and/or dying citizens and addiction to cigarettes disproportionately effects lower income persons.

Therefore, the greatest majority of those sick and dying from cigarette related diseases are more likely to seek government health care assistance programs (Medicaid/Medicare) than straight up self paid health insurance.

Meaning our government doesn't care about health related expenditure for preventable disease the same as the UK, to our economic detriment.

 

[Butch]

Anyone who believes any government anywhere has a caring thought for it's citizens is just not aware of the world around them.
NEVER GONNA HAPPEN
NEVER

 

[Falconeer]

Just to clarify matters - The NHS in the UK is funded through Taxation and National Insurance Contributions paid by everyone who works or is self employed.

When I started work back in 1968 you actually paid a "Stamp" weekly from your wages and it was literally that - a stamp which was affixed to your NI card weekly - hence the expression when you left a job - "Collect your Cards."

That said, I have lived through Labour Party and Tory Party Governments - and both were prone to amalgamating anything paid from Taxation into the "Consolidated Fund" from which both raided to fund their Pet Projects - usually not mentioned in their Manifestos prior to elections.

Vaping I am sure will end up taxed as smoking was, and funds raised will not be "Ring Fenced" for the NHS.

As an example I offer - many people believe the "Road Tax" fund is ring fenced to repair the roads - it isn't - it is now "Vehicle Exise Duty" and all monies raised thereby go into the Consolidated Fund which the Government of the day uses to spend on what it will.

The NHS is NOT funded by Government, which per se has no money, it is funded by Tax payers. There is no such thing as a Free Lunch.

 

[Falconeer]

It should also be noted that the scheme is called "National Insurance" not "National Assurance" and there is a significant difference between the two words. The fact that it is insurance allows the Government to vary what is covered and for how long it applies under which conditions,