Does new e-cigarette advert sexualise vaping?

The ad above for vip e-cigarettes, which feature a woman exhaling vapour, will debut tonight during a break in ITV1’s Grantchester following a change in the law.

But campaign groups have said the tobacco-free gadgets should not be aimed at a general audience and questioned whether new advertising rules are fit for purpose.

Deborah Arnott, chief executive of anti-smoking charity ASH, said: “Vaping is safer than smoking but it’s not harmless and e-cigarettes should only be promoted to smokers.

‘Sexualise e-cigarette’

“These ads sexualise e-cigarette use and do not make clear that these products are not for a general audience but are aimed at smokers.”

Dave Levin, co-founder of VIP, said the new campaign would mark the first time in almost 50 years that TV audiences see someone exhale what appears to be cigarette smoke. “We aren’t afraid to provoke a debate about e-cigarettes,” Mr Levin said.

“They are part of our society and we’re offering our customers a healthier alternative to smoking.

“Recently, two separate papers in the UK have accused the World Health Organisation of exaggerating the dangers posed by e-cigarettes.”