Plain vape packaging would deter youngsters - report

Putting vapes in plain packaging reduces their appeal to children and may even stop them taking up the habit in the first place, a new study has found.

Researchers say removing bright colours, pictures and fancy lettering from packaging made youngsters less likely to be attracted to vaping, but did not deter adults who wanted to use vapes to quit cigarettes.

The results come from the first major study of its kind by Smoking and Health (Ash) and the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King's College

London which involved 2,469 11 to 18-year-olds and 12,026 adults.

Newer, disposable e-cigarettes are increasing in popularity among young people, in part because they cost around £5 each, come in a wide range of colours and fruity flavours, and feature on social media sites. Experts have warned how a new generation of disposable vapes known as "puff bars" - which contain nicotine - have flooded the market.

The new study found fullybranded packs were the most popular with youngsters, followed by plain white packaging with brand name, and the third was plain green packaging with brand name.

In contrast to adult interest in vapes was not reduced by plain packaging.

Dr Katherine East, the study's senior author, said: "Vapes, and nicotine products in general, should be available to adults to help them to stop but should not be used by under 18s.

"Some current e-cigarette packaging has eye-catching and enticing designs.

"Our study found that removing brand imagery from packs reduced appeal of vapes to teenagers without reducing appeal to adults.”