Yesterday, Theresa May pledged to eradicate all avoidable plastic waste in the UK by 2042. It is a worthy goal, and will be popular since nobody really likes waste, especially if it is entirely unnecessary. And at Freedom to Vape, we have a great suggestion for Mrs May as to how she can save a massive amount of plastic waste in one fell swoop.

One of the aims of Freedom to Vape is to lobby the government for removal of pointless regulations on vaping imposed by the EU’s Tobacco Products Directive (TPD), one of which is limiting e-liquid bottle sizes to 10ml for no discernible reason.

Public Health England (PHE) backed e-cigarettes as a quit aid during its 'Stoptober' campaign last year. It teamed up with the independent British Vape trade Association (IBVTA) during that campaign. 

The Vaping Post reports that PHE has once again teamed up with the IBVTA this month as it launches another campaign. Here's an extract:

Earlier this month, on behalf of the Freedom to Vape campaign, I submitted evidence to the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee as part of the committee's investigation into e-cigarettes. 

The evidence has been published and can be read here. 

In an excellent new report published today, Chris Snowdon, Head of Lifestyle Economics at the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA), has called for the damaging regulations imposed on vapers and the vaping industry in the European Union's Tobacco Products Directive (TPD) to be scrapped post-Brexit. Click HERE to read the report. 

Harry Phibbs, over at ConservativeHome, revealed yesterday that is costs around £55K to get someone to quit smoking in Hammersmith and Fulham. You read that correctly. Harry is a councillor there. Here's what he found out:

"Thrive Tribe is given £1.19 million from my Council’s Public Health budget “for the provision of a stop smoking (quits and prevention) service”. The contract was from 01/01/2014 – 31/12/2017.

"So how many have quit?

I published a major report last year on behalf of The Freedom Association's Freedom to Vape campaign which looked at the vaping policies of all UK councils. The responses highlighted hundreds of outdated policies, so this year we have repeated the exercise and included a couple of extra questions to find out if councils are listening to advise from Public Health England (PHE) which was included in the Government's Tobacco Control Plan. 

Many cities in the United States are raising the age to purchase tobacco products to 21 years. Some of the rhetoric coming out of the groups campaigning for draconian legislation would be at home in a totalitarian state. It's not what you would expect (or shouldn't expect) from a country that likes to think that it leads the free world. 

Detroit Lakes is one of those US cities contemplating raising the age, and supporters don't want to stop there. They are also "discussing exceeding state law in defining vaping as smoking, banning vaping where smoking is banned and removing the business owners right to choose, banning smoking/vaping patios, etc."

I ask the question in the headline after just reading this in Crain's New York Business. New York City Council has just voted through a raft of anti-smoking and anti-vaping measures, the extent of which makes you wonder if New York is part of the free world or not.

Here is extract from the article I have just read:

" The package, which has the support of Mayor Bill de Blasio, will raise the price floor on a pack of cigarettes to $13 from $10.50, and smokeless tobacco and shisha packages to $17 from $8. Retailers that sell individual cigars would have to charge at least $8". 

An article in the Birmingham Mail states that London Midland has "launched a new campaign to stamp out anti-social behaviour and it could see passengers facing prosecution for breaking new railway by-laws. Commuters caught putting their feet on seats or vaping could end up in court."

It's time for Network Rail and all train operating companies, not just London Midland, to change their e-cigarette policies. As I understand it (and if I am wrong, I will happily make a correction) the existing railway byelaws do not cover e-cigarettes. Take a look for yourself.

I has an appointment at Castle Hill Hospital in East Yorkshire on Tuesday afternoon. As I was putting my £2 into the parking meter, I noticed this sign above it. 

Although I oppose banning smoking in the great outdoors - there's no reason for it other than to beat-up smokers for being smokers - I thought that at least the hospital has realised the difference between smoking and vaping. After reading the sign again, I realised that staff were not included.