Tobacco control expert Clive Bates has been a key figure in the push back against misinformation in the debate about vaping.
He tells Tom Gockelen-Kozlowski why retailers should back the industry in the years ahead
Even before a spate of lung injuries was wrongly apportioned to conventional vaping in 2019 (the so-called EVALI, or e-cigarette and vape associated lung injury, crisis), the industry has been a magnet for sensationalist and scaremongering headlines.
From politicians such as the former US presidential nominee Michael Bloomberg to media outlets including the Daily Mail, Telegraph and Sun – not to mention the World Health Organization and a host of anti-nicotine charities worldwide – an entire industry has been built around efforts to halt the rise of vape as an effective tool to help smokers quit.
So, to repurpose a phrase: when there’s someone scaremongering in your neighbourhood, who are you going to call? For the UK vape industry, one of the chief myth busters is Clive Bates, director of Counter-factual Consulting and vape policy expert whose list of previous roles included being the director of Action on Smoking and Health (ASH).
His blog, The Counterfactual, is essential reading for anyone who wants to see an evidence-based analysis of some of the often-hysterical headlines about the vaping industry.
Recently, Bates took part in a launch event for the UKVIA’s VApril 2021 campaign further underlining his influence in this emerging industry.
So, Vape Business caught up with Bates to find out his thoughts on the challenges and opportunities ahead.
What is the picture, in general, of the UK vape industry in 2021?
Clive Bates – VapeBusiness & Next Gen – 2021-04-19.
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