Display restrictions to products and prices for herbal smoking products, heated tobacco devices, vaping and nicotine products in Scotland - Partial Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment
This partial BRIA sets out the Scottish Government’s initial assessment of the business and regulatory impact of proposals to regulate the display of vaping products, nicotine products, herbal smoking products and heated tobacco devices.
Footnotes
1 Top Statistics from the Scottish Health Survey (SHeS); ASH SmokeFree Youth survey (ASH)
2 Scottish Health Survey - gov.scot
3 Vaping and smoking among Scottish adolescents: ASH SmokeFree GB Youth survey 2025 results - gov.scot
4 Vaping – Health harms: evidence briefing - gov.scot; Protecting Children and Adolescents From Tobacco and Nicotine | Pediatrics | American Academy of Pediatrics; The risk of lung cancer from vaping or e-cigarette usage: a systematic review - ESMO Open; E-cigarettes and harm reduction: An evidence review | RCP; Evidence update on the respiratory health effects of vaping e-cigarettes: A systematic review and meta-analysis
5 Nicotine vaping in England: 2022 evidence update - GOV.UK; The Effects of Nicotine on Development - PMC
6 ASH-evidence-brief-on-nicotine-V6-Nov25.pdf; E-cigarettes and harm reduction: An evidence review | RCP
7 Nicotine and the cardiovascular system: unmasking a global public health threat - PubMed; Harmful effects of nicotine - PMC (nih.gov)
8 Nicotine on the developing brain - PMC; The Effects of Nicotine on Development - PubMed; Human placental impact from exposure to non-smoked tobacco and nicotine products: A scoping review - ScienceDirect; Protecting Children and Adolescents From Tobacco and Nicotine | Pediatrics | American Academy of Pediatrics; Harmful effects of nicotine - PMC (nih.gov); Assessing the impact of e-cigarettes on human barrier systems: A systematic review - ScienceDirect
9 The Effects of Nicotine on Development | Pediatrics | American Academy of Pediatrics (aap.org); Harmful effects of nicotine - PMC (nih.gov)
10 Elevated Toxic Element Emissions from Popular Disposable E-Cigarettes: Sources, Life Cycle, and Health Risks | ACS Central Science; Propylene glycol, a component of electronic cigarette liquid, damages epithelial cells in human small airways | Respiratory Research; Health Hazards of E-Cigarettes and Heated Tobacco Products: a Comprehensive Analysis of Hazardous Substances and Regulatory Gaps | Nicotine & Tobacco Research | Oxford Academic
11 Immunological Effects of Electronic Cigarette Use: A Review of Current Evidence | Clinical Reviews in Allergy & Immunology; Evidence update on the cancer risk of vaping e-cigarettes: A systematic review; Direct health implications of e-cigarette use: a systematic scoping review with evidence assessment - PubMed; Assessing the impact of e-cigarettes on human barrier systems: A systematic review - ScienceDirect
12 Vaping – Effectiveness as a cessation tool: evidence briefing - gov.scot; Electronic cigarettes for smoking cessation - Lindson, N - 2025 | Cochrane Library; Electronic cigarettes for smoking cessation: An overview of systematic reviews and evidence and gap map - Wu - Addiction - Wiley Online Library
13 Vaping – Health harms: evidence briefing - gov.scot; Direct health implications of e-cigarette use: a systematic scoping review with evidence assessment - PubMed
14 The Scottish Health Survey 2024 - volume 1: main report - gov.scot
15 Oral nicotine pouch use in Great Britain: a repeat cross-sectional study, 2020–25 - The Lancet Public Health; Nicotine pouches - ASH
16 Vaping and smoking among Scottish adolescents: ASH SmokeFree GB Youth survey 2025 results - gov.scot
19 What is the impact of nicotine pouches on oral health: a systematic review - PMC; Nicotine pouches: a review for the dental team | British Dental Journal
20 Nicotine vaping in England: 2022 evidence update - GOV.UK; The Effects of Nicotine on Development - PMC
21 Nicotine and the cardiovascular system: unmasking a global public health threat - PubMed; Harmful effects of nicotine - PMC (nih.gov); Nicotine pouches and youth: emerging patterns and potential cardiovascular risks - PMC
22 Nicotine on the developing brain - PMC; The Effects of Nicotine on Development - PubMed; Human placental impact from exposure to non-smoked tobacco and nicotine products: A scoping review - ScienceDirect; Protecting Children and Adolescents From Tobacco and Nicotine | Pediatrics | American Academy of Pediatrics; Harmful effects of nicotine - PMC (nih.gov); Assessing the impact of e-cigarettes on human barrier systems: A systematic review - ScienceDirect
23 The Effects of Nicotine on Development | Pediatrics | American Academy of Pediatrics (aap.org); Harmful effects of nicotine - PMC (nih.gov)
24 Nicotine pouches and clinical outcomes related to smoking cessation: A systematic review of randomized trials - Heshmati - Addiction - Wiley Online Library; Oral nicotine pouches for cessation or reduction of use of other tobacco or nicotine products - Hartmann-Boyce, J - 2025 | Cochrane Library
26 Vaping and smoking among Scottish adolescents: ASH SmokeFree GB Youth survey 2025 results - gov.scot
27 Heated Tobacco Products: Insights into Composition and Toxicity; Assessing the Health Impacts of Heated Tobacco Products Compared to Traditional Tobacco Use: A Systematic Review of Current Evidence - PubMed; Impact of heated tobacco products on biomarkers of potential harm and adverse events: a systematic review and meta-analysis - PubMed; Comparative Health Risk Assessment of Heated Tobacco Products versus Conventional Cigarettes - PubMed; A scoping review of the toxicity and health impact of IQOS - PMC; Heated Tobacco Products: Insights into Composition and Toxicity
29 Nicotine vaping in England: 2022 evidence update - GOV.UK; The Effects of Nicotine on Development - PMC
30 Nicotine and the cardiovascular system: unmasking a global public health threat - PubMed; Harmful effects of nicotine - PMC (nih.gov)
31 Nicotine on the developing brain - PMC; The Effects of Nicotine on Development - PubMed; Human placental impact from exposure to non-smoked tobacco and nicotine products: A scoping review - ScienceDirect; Protecting Children and Adolescents From Tobacco and Nicotine | Pediatrics | American Academy of Pediatrics; Harmful effects of nicotine - PMC (nih.gov); Assessing the impact of e-cigarettes on human barrier systems: A systematic review - ScienceDirect
32 The Effects of Nicotine on Development | Pediatrics | American Academy of Pediatrics (aap.org); Harmful effects of nicotine - PMC (nih.gov)
33 What chemicals are in a cigarette? | What does smoking do to your body? | Cancer Research UK
34 Propylene glycol, a component of electronic cigarette liquid, damages epithelial cells in human small airways | Respiratory Research; Direct health implications of e-cigarette use: a systematic scoping review with evidence assessment - PMC; Immunological Effects of Electronic Cigarette Use: A Review of Current Evidence | Clinical Reviews in Allergy & Immunology
35 Acute health effects of heated tobacco products: comparative analysis with traditional cigarettes and electronic cigarettes in young adults | European Respiratory Society; Heated Tobacco Products: Insights into Composition and Toxicity; Comparison of the effects of active and passive smoking of tobacco cigarettes, electronic nicotine delivery systems and tobacco heating products on the expression and secretion of oxidative stress and inflammatory response markers. A systematic review: Inhalation Toxicology: Vol 36, No 2; Comparative Health Risk Assessment of Heated Tobacco Products versus Conventional Cigarettes - PubMed; Impact of heated tobacco products on biomarkers of potential harm and adverse events: a systematic review and meta-analysis - PubMed; Comparison of the chemical composition of aerosols from heated tobacco products, electronic cigarettes and tobacco cigarettes and their toxic impacts on the human bronchial epithelial BEAS-2B cells - ScienceDirect; Full article: The chemical profile and toxicological impact of heated tobacco products
36 Patterns of Use of Heated Tobacco Products: A Comprehensive Systematic Review - PubMed
37 The lure of 'Healthier Smoke': Comparative physical, chemical, and oxidative potential characterization of emissions from herbal and tobacco cigarettes - ScienceDirect; View of "Herbal Smoke Deception: Hidden Dangers Among Youth and the Urgent Call for Regulation"
38 How Do Herbal Cigarettes Compare To Tobacco? A Comprehensive Review of Their Sensory Characters, Phytochemicals, and Functional Properties - PMC; ‘Herbal’ but potentially hazardous: an analysis of the constituents and smoke emissions of tobacco-free waterpipe products and the air quality in the cafés where they are served | Tobacco Control
40 Impact of a ban on the open display of tobacco products in retail outlets on never smoking youth in the UK: findings from a repeat cross-sectional survey before, during and after implementation | Tobacco Control; The impact of the point-of-sale tobacco display ban on young people in Scotland: before-and-after study - PubMed
41 A Post Implementation Review Report of Tobacco Legislation Coming into Force Between 2010-2015
42 Cancer UK - Improving our understanding of e-cigarette and refill packaging in the UK
43 Exploring the accessibility of vapes to young people and adults across the UK
44 Vaping - effectiveness of advertising restrictions: research - gov.scot; Vaping - youth perceptions and attitudes: evidence briefing - gov.scot
45 Scottish Health Survey; E Cigarettes Latest Trends - Graphs - Smoking in Scotland
48 youth vaping fact sheet 2025 final.docx
50 WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control - Article 13 - Guidelines for Implementation
51 Tobacco Control Laws | Homepage
52 Boyland E. et al. (2022) Systematic review of the effect of policies to restrict the marketing of foods and non‐alcoholic beverages to which children are exposed - Obesity Reviews
53 “Other Retailers” includes 205 pharmacies selling vaping products only.
54 UK Government. 2024 Creating a smokefree generation and tackling youth vaping - GOV.UK
55 Guidelines for implementation of Article 5.3
56 ONS. 2020. Index of Labour Costs per Hour, seasonally adjusted.
57 Department of Health and CTSI. 2015. Guidance on the display and pricing of tobacco products in England, for tobacco retailers and enforcement officers.
58 EFTEC. 2013. Evaluating the cost savings to business from revised EA guidance – method paper. (As quoted in Business Impact Target - Appraisal of guidance: assessments for regulator-issued guidance).
60 Based on a range of storage available from Easyshelf. Tobacco Stand Cigarette Display Stand. (accessed July 2025).
61 The Kings Fund. 2019. Understanding the impact of display ban regulations on small business: qualitative research.
62 Rooke and others. 2010. Tobacco point of sale displays in England: A snapshot survey of current practices.
63 Stead and others. 2018. Tobacco companies’ use of retailer incentives after a ban on point-of-sale tobacco displays in Scotland.
66 The Tobacco Advertising and Promotion (Display) (England) Regulations 2010.
67 The Tobacco Advertising and Promotion (Display) (England) Regulations 2010.
68 Scottish Health Survey - gov.scot
70 Oral nicotine pouch use in Great Britain: a repeat cross-sectional study, 2020–25 - The Lancet Public Health; Nicotine pouches - ASH
71 Mid-2024 population estimates - National Records of Scotland (NRS)
72 100+ UK Vaping Statistics | Electric Tobacconist
73 Based on consumption being equivalent to cigarette consumption, and HSE. 2023. Health Survey for England, 2022 Part 1.
74 Nicotine Report 2024 | Haypp UK
76 Eminson et al., 2019. A comprehensive evaluation of the impact of recent English tobacco control policy using secondary data
77 Kuipers et al., 2012. Impact on smoking of England's 2012 partial tobacco point of sale display ban: a repeated cross-sectional national study
78 Dewhirst. 2020. Co-optation of harm reduction by Big Tobacco.
79 NFPA. 2025 Lithium-Ion Battery Safety.
80 Data acquired from Register of Tobacco and Vaping Product Retailers - mygov.scot
81 The Local Shop Report 2025, Association of Convenience Stores, 2025
Contact
Email: Tobaccocontrolteam@gov.scot