UK Advertising Standards Authority Bans Ads for Disposable E-cigarettes on TikTok

Amid growing pressure on the government to tackle the issue of vaping puff-style disposable e-cigarettes, explicitly marketed to children, the UK’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has announced a series of bans on ads for disposable e-cigarettes on TikTok

The ASA has issued an enforcement notice to vaping brands asking them to stop advertising on TikTok, which is popular with teens, and has also flagged TikTok for some 300 posts promoting active disposable vaping devices[1].

Advertisements encouraging the consumption of vaping products

Section 22 of the Advertising Practices Commission in the United Kingdom sets out the framework for vaping advertisements. Regardless of medications, with the exception of media intended exclusively for professionals, marketing communications having the direct or indirect effect of promoting vaping products and their components are not authorized in newspapers, magazines and periodicals, nor in online media and certain other forms of electronic media. Additionally, TikTok app guidelines prohibit the promotion of tobacco and vaping products.

L’ASA a estimated that targeted advertisements went beyond the simple information framework and encouraged consumption. The agency particularly pointed out the use of influencers who highlight attractive flavors, promotional offers and illicit insertions such as “Go buy some now!” », “There are a multitude of shapes and sizes [de cigarettes électroniques] different”, “so many different flavors” and “so gentle on the throat”. The ASA also specified that it would soon organize a roundtable with the social media platforms TikTok, Meta, YouTube and X (formerly Twitter) to present the results of its online monitoring and the corrective measures decided.

A similar observation in France

Public health associations, in particular the National Committee Against Smoking (CNCT), have made similar observations in France and denounce the illicit nature of numerous sites and social network pages actively and repeatedly promoting vaping products. The association has already convicted several tobacco and vaping manufacturers in recent years for illegal advertising for vaping on the Instagram network and on websites. Several brands have since stopped their communication on their website and social networks but the CNCT calls for continued vigilance and maintains that many manufacturers remain illegal[2].

Towards a ban on puffs in the United Kingdom

British parliamentarians are reportedly set to ban disposable vaping devices, following a series of calls from paediatricians and public health and environmental groups that these products are also dangerous. both on a health and ecological level.

Doctors specializing in childhood respiratory illnesses have slammed the government for failing to heed warnings about the risks of allowing these products to be sold in child-appealing packaging. These are named after popular sweet treats, including banana milkshake and jelly babies, and contain high levels of nicotine. They are easily accessible whether in stores or online.

Keywords: Puffs, tiktok, marketing, advertising, vaping, e-cigarettes, UK

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[1] Four TikTok vape ads banned as pressure ramps up on e-cigs brandsMarketing Week, published September 13, 2023, accessed September 21, 2023

[2] Communiqué, The National Committee Against Smoking warns of the anarchic development of new products and calls for a ban on flavorspublished on February 13, 2023

National Committee Against Smoking |