The National Assembly for Wales's Petitions Committee was officially presented with a petition today calling upon the Welsh Government not to proceed with their proposed ban on the use of e-cigarettes in enclosed public spaces, substantially enclosed public places, and places of work in Wales.
The petition gained over 1,200 signatures online and was formally presented on the steps of the Senedd in Cardiff Bay at 13.00 on Wednesday 1 October. The Committee received the petition from Rhydian Mann and Richard Hyslop, on behalf of petitioner Simon Thurlow.
The exact wording of the petition is as follows:
We call upon the Welsh Government not to proceed with their proposed ban on the use of e-cigarettes in enclosed public spaces, substantially enclosed public places, and places of work in Wales. This proposal, if implemented, can only lead to fewer people using e-cigarettes and more people smoking cigarettes.
Additional Information: Already 100,000 people in Wales are using e-cigarettes. These people are smoking fewer or no cigarettes; this should be a cause for celebration, not concern. A recent BBC poll found that 62% of the public opposed a ban on the use of e-cigarettes in public. In Spain where a ban on the use of e-cigarettes in public was introduced, there was a 70% decline in the use of e-cigarettes and a rise in the rate of smoking. We fear the same will happen in Wales if the Welsh Government implements their proposed ban. With a ban on the advertising and promotion of e-cigarettes soon to be introduced, following the passing of the Tobacco Products Directive, where are smokers to find out about e-cigarettes, particularly if they are banned in public places? Smokers need to see people using e-cigarettes in public, they need to be able to go up and speak to e-cigarette users so that they can find out further information and then hopefully make the switch to a safer alternative.
More information on the Petitions Committee can be found here.