What effect will leaving the EU have on the TPD?

[JAC Vapour]

We're sure we're not alone in fielding questions from customers and vapers in general about what effect the EU referendum might have on the implementation of the TPD in the UK. To help answer that question, we asked our Regulatory Manager to give us his thoughts (his motivational speaking classes are going well, as you'll see).



If anyone has any suggestions for other questions we can put to Bryn, let's hear them! We'll see if we can wrestle him back into the hotseat again.

[striker42]

My interpretation of what he said is we're pretty much F****d, "in" or "out".

[JAC Vapour]

Jun 21, 2016 16:30:22 GMT striker42 said:

My interpretation of what he said is we're pretty much F****d, "in" or "out".

That's one way of looking at things I suppose!

I guess the main thing that we're trying to take from the whole situation is that the new rules are here and that we just have to make the best of things. We're a resourceful industry and we've got to where we are now through a lot of hard work, determination and ingenuity. Yes, some of the regs are arbitrary, but there are positives if you look for them. Controls on ingredient quality, batch traceability etc are all objectively good things for consumers. As for the rest, we will adapt.

[striker42]

Jun 21, 2016 16:37:57 GMT JAC Vapour said:

Jun 21, 2016 16:30:22 GMT striker42 said:

My interpretation of what he said is we're pretty much F****d, "in" or "out".

That's one way of looking at things I suppose!

the new rules are here and that we just have to make the best of things. 

Yep, that statement means, as I've said, we're pretty much F*****d. Having, along with a great deal of others, wasted my time with emails, messages and talking to local councillors about the the detrimental effects of article 20 of the TPD, what good did it do ? as far as I can see nil, none, zilch, zero. Fair and just regulation is welcomed by vapers, but this regulation is just complete and utter bollocks. And to make matters worse, IMO, this is only the start of it. To think that any review of this regulation in future whether we are in or out, will relax restrictions is living in fairy land. You've heard the saying "just when you think things can't get any worse. . . . . ." Watch this space !

[Bob]

Totally agree it will take a minimum of 2 years before anything can be done, but that doesn't mean we cannot change it in future, and maybe quicker than waiting for the faceless bar stewards in Brussels to do anything about it.

[dreamylittledream]

To be honest pre TPD I seem to remember the UK government was pretty keen on medical regulation which would leave us even more fcuk'd than we are currently.

So I have pretty much no confidence that the EU referendum result will have any positive impact on vaping full stop regardless of the outcome

[JAC Vapour]

Jun 21, 2016 17:03:22 GMT Bob said:

Totally agree it will take a minimum of 2 years before anything can be done, but that doesn't mean we cannot change it in future, and maybe quicker than waiting for the faceless bar stewards in Brussels to do anything about it.

Nothing lasts forever, that's certainly true. With everything else that comes with Brexit though, I think the Government will have their hands full for the foreseeable. By the time they get round to us, the new regs will have had plenty of time to bed in and the industry will have mostly moved on. With the time and money invested in getting compliant, it won't be as easy as simply going back to how things used to be - not impossible, but not straightforward either.

[JAC Vapour]

Jun 21, 2016 21:35:02 GMT dreamylittledream said:

To be honest pre TPD I seem to remember the UK government was pretty keen on medical regulation which would leave us even more fcuk'd than we are currently.

So I have pretty much no confidence that the EU referendum result will have any positive impact on vaping full stop regardless of the outcome

Yup. The pre-TPD approach from the MHRA would have seen us all applying for medical licenses, if we could afford to do so (not many could). That would have been a death-knell for the industry and was entirely driven from within the UK. The situation has progressed a lot since then, so I doubt the MHRA would push for that in the same way now, but the reality is that we don't for a certainty what would happen if they were given free-reign post-Brexit.

[Bobsbeer]

Let's not forget that much of the call to go down the medical route was before a lot of research and reports came out in favour of vaping. While symbolic the regret motions are likely to underscore the current hands off rhetoric. I'm sure vaping will not be top of the list of things to do post brexit so we will hav to live with it. Let's not forget too that there is a tax agenda to consider.