Relx calls for sustained vaping regulation following King’s College report

Leading vape company Relx International has urged policymakers to continue to take note of the harm reduction potential of vaping in response to the recent findings of a UK government-commissioned study.

Researchers at King’s College London, who undertook took the study, said their report represents the most comprehensive review of the risks of vaping to date. It found that, while vaping is not risk free (particularly for people who have never smoked), it poses a small fraction of the health risks of smoking in the short to medium term, with a ‘substantial reduction’ in exposure to toxicants that promote cancer, lung disease and cardiovascular disease,

Authors of the report have also called for increased enforcement to tackle the rise in e-cigarette use among children – a demographic that has experienced an upsurge in usage over the past 12 months, according to the latest data.

Relx has come out in the support of the study and highlighted its own industry-leading initiatives to prevent the use of vape products by minors and maintain responsible quality testing.

“Since our inception, Relx International has been committed to preventing and discouraging the use of e-cigarettes by minors,” Chris Aikens, external affairs manager in Europe for Relx International, said.

“Through the Relx Guardian Program, Relx International helps to educate the wider industry on the importance of restricted use. We make concerted efforts with retailers to step up on-site identification and provide them with training to ensure strict compliance throughout our value chain.”

The company’s Guardian Program is a company-wide initiative that stretches from product development to sales, preventing and discouraging the misuse of vape products by minors through a series of tangible measures.

This includes concerted efforts with retailers to step up on-site identification and working closely with stakeholders and business partners to maximise the positive influence of the Program, through proactive training to ensure strict compliance throughout the value chain.

Elsewhere, Relx ensures its products are not designed, marketed, or sold to underaged users by refusing to use marketing strategies, such as cartoons or terminology, that might appeal to the youth demographic.

“Similarly, Relx International is proud to ensure that its products are only manufactured to high-quality standards with stringent inspection controls,” Aikens added.

The company maintains a partnership with VerifyMyAge to implement a seamless age verification solution on its UK e-commerce website, through which age verification is performed with no disruption to users’ shopping experience.

Meanwhile, in response to the wider adoption of its products in the UK, Relx recently pledged an initiative to protect the safety of consumers - committing the brand to high quality standards and first-rate quality products.

As part of the commitment, Relx maintains rigorous testing and quality standards that follow all laws and standards for e-cigarette products.

The initiative has seen the brand set up five labs over the past three years to create a full-scale quality testing system that also enables its experts to advance research into e-cigarettes and vapor products.