Call for crackdown on vaping f irms that ‘use celebs like Lily Allen to target teens’
VAPING firms are using social media influencers and celebrities, such as pop star Lily Allen, to promote e-cigarettes to underage teenagers, campaigners claim.
Vype, a range of e- cigarettes owned by British American Tobacco (BAT), has been using fashion-style advertising to reach potential new customers, including glossy shoots with Lily Allen in which she matches different devices to her outfits.
The Advertising Standards Authority is investigating BAT over seven Vype posts on Instagram for their potential to appeal to under-18s.
Britain’s vaping industry has come under increased scrutiny for targeting products at children by using cartoon packaging and flavours that resemble fizzy drinks. Now, The Mail on Sunday can reveal that vaping companies are using influencers, promotional parties, slick advertising and even London Fashion Week to lure in younger users.
John Dicey, of Allen Carr’s Easy Way Stop smoking programme, said: ‘Social media is like the Wild West in terms of vaping companies getting away with targeting kids.
‘Type “vaping” or “vape juice” into YouTube or Instagram and you’ll soon find glamorous girls and boys demonstrating how to do it and promoting whatever brand they’re sponsored by.’
Some ‘vaping influencers’ have up to 117,000 followers on Instagram, l eading campaigners to worry e-cigarettes are being made to look like a fashion product.
Caroline Renzulli, spokesman for the Campaign for Tobacco- Free Kids, said: ‘Tobacco companies like BAT use social media to promote their products because they think they can get away with it and they know it reaches young people.’
Vype collaborated with designers House of Holland to create e-cigarettes for London Fashion Week and its Instagram account features Pixie Geldof modelling its products.
Another vaping brand, Vaporesso, also uses memes – jokey internet images – about Game Of Thrones to promote vaping to young people.
Vaping has become increasingly popular among teenagers. According to NHS data, 25 per cent of children aged 11 to 15 have tried it.
Simon Cleverly, of BAT, said: ‘We have strict controls in place to ensure our partnerships are appropriate and targeted at adults.’
Representatives for Vaporesso and Lily Allen declined to comment.