E-cigarette inventor fumes at Welsh Government over vaping ban plan - Daily Post North Wales

The inventor of the e-cigarette has blasted Welsh Government plans to ban vaping in some public spaces.

Originally Health Minister Mark Drakeford hoped to restrict e-cigarettes in all enclosed public and work places bringing it into line with the smoking ban by the end of 2016.

But the Welsh Government scaled back the plans to a list of public places including public transport and pubs which serve food in the face of opposition pressure last year.

On Tuesday Ministers hope to extend this list to include cinemas, amusement parks, zoos, museums, sporting grounds and play areas, as the restrictions are voted on in the Senedd.

But Hon Lik, inventor of the e-cigarette, criticised Professor Drakeford for going ahead with the controversial measure.

Hon Lik - inventor of e-cigarettes - written to Professor Mark Drakeford about vaping ban

In a letter seen by the Daily Post the pharmacist, from Shenyang in north-east China, says banning their use in public places would be “wrong”.

Mr Lik invented the e-cigarette 10 years ago after his father – a heavy smoker – died from lung cancer.

In a letter to Professor Drakeford he writes: “I’m very proud that thanks to my invention, millions of smokers have managed to either cut their consumption significantly or stop smoking completely.

“That is why I am extremely disappointed to hear that Wales has proposed a ban on vaping in public places.

“I believe that e-cigarettes are a key component in a harm reduction approach to cutting smoking rates.

“Banning their use in public places is wrong. It sends a contradictory message at a time when authorities have clearly stated that vaping is 95% less harmful than smoking.”

Read: Arriva investigates bus driver smoking on board vehicle

Prof Drakeford has always argued that introducing the e-cigarette restrictions is the right thing to do as vaping could cause harm and re-normalise smoking.

Health Minister Prof Mark Drakeford

But Mr Lik says banning the use of the devices would force users outside and expose them to second hand smoke and the temptation of smoking cigarettes.

He writes: “It is a message to vapers that vaping is no better than smoking – entirely the wrong message to send, and one which goes against everything I believe in as the inventor of the e-cigarette.

“For all of these reasons, I believe that Mark Drakeford is wrong and that his bill should be opposed by all those who share the belief that encouraging vaping has a positive public health impact.”

Read: Nigel Farage says WG e-cigarette ban as 'absolutely mad'

A Welsh Government spokesperson said: “We welcome the international interest in our Public Health (Wales) Bill, however it does not propose a ban on e-cigarettes in public places.

“It proposes restrictions on the use of e-cigarettes in certain enclosed public places where children and young people are present because we are concerned about the risks they pose, particularly in terms of re-normalising smoking.

“The Bill does not prevent the use of e-cigarettes as a means to help people stop smoking, if people feel they will help them.”

The debate on the Public Health (Wales) Bill take place on Tuesday and Wednesday. A final vote on the law will be taken on 15 March.”