Prohibition of the sale and supply of single-use vapes: Equality Impact Assessment – Results

The Scope of the EQIA

33. Prior to consultation, a preliminary framing exercise was conducted by Zero Waste Scotland, involving officials in the Scottish Government’s Product Stewardship team. After the initial exercise, a number of officials from Scottish Government’s Mainstreaming Team were also consulted and provided advice and insight to the process. The exercise identified a limited number of potential impacts and so a proportional desk-based approach was taken to source existing data and evidence.

34. Additionally, the Scottish Government lead policy team sought advice from a number of Scottish Government directorates and wider organisations including, Directorate for Mental Health, Chief Social Policy Directorate, Directorate for Chief Medical Officer, Directorate for Population Health and the Scottish Prison Service.

35. Summary of activities:

• Framing exercise: Zero Waste Scotland and Scottish Government discussion, as noted above.
• Discussions with relevant directorates across Scottish Government and external organisations where appropriate.
• Evidence-gathering: quantitative and qualitative data and evidence were sourced, including evidence from existing large Scotland- and UK-level surveys and evidence from other relevant policy impact assessments.

36. This EQIA summarises potential impacts based on available information at the time of production, and will be used by the Scottish Government to inform implementation of the policy. Appropriate monitoring of the policy is required to ensure emerging impacts are identified and addressed where appropriate post-implementation.

37. In addition to the impacts considered, it is important to note that the protected characteristics considered within this EQIA are not independent of each other. Some people may have to deal with complex and interconnected issues.

38. Evidence available and gathered during public consultation helped inform this EQIA. Mostly notably, of the responses relevant to the EQIA, was the support for consideration of how to monitor and evaluate the policy impacts on the identified groups as part of the wider evaluation.

39. All engagement has adhered to commitments under the World Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) Article 5.3. This ensures Scottish tobacco control policies are protected from commercial and other vested interests of the tobacco industry.