4. To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to lay regulations to restrict the marketing and advertising of vaping products, following the publication of the responses to its consultation, “Tightening rules on advertising and promoting vaping products”, on 27 September 2022. (S6O-02255)

I thank Emma Harper for raising an important issue. Our 2022 consultation proposed restrictions on vaping products that strike a balance between protecting all non-smokers from the potential harms of vaping and providing existing adult smokers with the information that they need to make an informed choice on cessation.

As part of our active consideration of those restrictions, further evidence has been developed on the harms that are associated with vaping products. It was published on 10 May 2023, and we will publish our refreshed tobacco action plan in the autumn.

I am co-convener of the cross-party group on lung health, which has explored the issue of e-cigarettes and vaping. We were presented with clear evidence that young people are targeted directly through marketing strategies that include the use of attractive bright packaging and attractive flavours, including candyfloss, pink lemonade and bubble gum.

Emerging evidence shows that vaping is a future lung health ticking time bomb. Will the minister commit to bringing forward the regulations as soon as possible, to ensure that we protect young people from the health harms of vaping?

I recognise the concerns that Emma Harper raises. When I visited a school in my constituency a couple of months ago, a teacher showed me vapes that she had taken from her pupils.

As a priority, I am considering a range of steps to deal with vaping, including use of regulation, and those will form part of our refreshed tobacco action plan in the autumn. Any action that we take will build on the regulations that are already in place to restrict the marketing, promotion and sale of vaping products to under-18s.

A 16-year-old constituent recently contacted me because they are struggling to quit vaping. When they asked their general practitioner and pharmacy for support, they were told that nothing is available. What support can the Scottish Government provide to help young people to quit vaping?

I recognise that issue, which the World Health Organization has described as a “major concern”. I have asked Public Health Scotland to look into that and will be working on the issue along with my colleague Elena Whitham.