Wes Streeting has issued a warning to vaping companies pushing nicotine products onto children, vowing that the next Labour government would come down on them “like a ton of bricks”.

The shadow health secretary’s comments come amidst growing concerns about the rise in underage vaping and the potential long-term health consequences for young people.

In a Westminster Hall debate on electronic cigarette use, Mr Streeting acknowledged the potential benefits of vapes as smoking cessation aids – but stressed they are “nonetheless a harmful product”.

He criticised vaping industry leaders for “insulting the public’s intelligence”, insisting that whilst they may argue that e-cigarettes are a tool for driving down smoking rates, their true intention is “targeting children to get them on nicotine”.

He said a Labour government would take decisive action on the issue, including banning branding and advertising of vapes to children.

Appearing before the Health and Social Care Committee during an evidence session on youth vaping on Wednesday, John Dunne, director general of the UK Vaping Industry Association, and Marcus Saxton, chairman of the Independent British Vape Trade Association, denied their members were promoting flavours to children.

The pair also denied the industry was trying to hook a new generation of youngsters on nicotine.

Mr Streeting told Westminster Hall: “The vaping industry is not targeting children to get them off cigarettes. It is targeting children to get them on nicotine.

“I don’t care what the industry leaders told the select committee yesterday. Frankly, they are insulting the public’s intelligence.

“Walk down pretty much any high street in our country today and you will be able to buy brightly coloured vapes and e-liquids.”

Vaping stock
Vaping products displayed in a vape shop (Nick Ansell/PA)

He argued “there is no doubt that these products are being designed, packaged, marketed and sold deliberately to children” and that there is “no wonder there has been an explosion of underage vaping in recent years”.

Mr Streeting called out the Conservative Party for voting down a proposed amendment to ban the marketing of vapes to under-18s in the past, adding: “I hope ministers have had a genuine change of heart.”

He went on: “Either way, there will be action on this after the general election. The next Labour government will come down like a ton of bricks on companies pushing nicotine to children, and we will ban the branding and advertising of vapes to children, too.”

The debate was led by Tory MP Dr Caroline Johnson, who also expressed deep concern about the accessibility and appeal of vaping products to youngsters.

She made the case for tighter regulation of the vaping industry, licensing requirements, increased fines for violations, and potential taxation on disposable vapes to deter children from accessing these products.

Responding to the debate, health minister Neil O’Brien said the Government is “absolutely aware of the risks vapes pose to children”, noting “they are not risk-free, it’s entirely addictive, it can be harmful, and there are unanswered questions that have been raised on the long-term use”.

He mentioned the initiatives announced by the Prime Minister last month to tackle youth vaping, which are designed to close regulatory loopholes, enhance health education, and enforce stricter rules within the vaping industry.

He went on: “We are absolutely committed to doing all we can to prevent children from starting vaping. We are already taking robust action in a whole range of areas but we are also looking closely at how we can go further.

“We will publish the response to that ‘youth vaping: call for evidence’ earlier this autumn to outline our next steps and we want to move fast.”