Cigarettes, Tobacco & E-Cigarettes

Advertisements which promote cigarettes and tobacco, including shisha and snus, are prohibited.

Smoking equipment and accessories are prohibited from advertising, e.g. rolling papers and filters.

BCAP Code rule 10.1.3 and rules 10.3–10.5 apply.

Electronic Cigarettes are covered by Rule 33 of the BCAP code and may be advertised subject to the following copy guidance.

Only the following electronic cigarettes and vaping fluids may be advertised:

(i) Products which are licensed as medicines or medical devices,
(ii) non-nicotine-containing liquids and refill containers,
(iii) non-nicotine-containing disposable e-cigarettes and
(iv) rechargeable e-cigarettes which are designed to be fitted only with cartridges containing non-nicotine-containing e-liquid.

These products must not share branding with nicotine-containing products, as this would constitute indirect promotion of a prohibited product.

No health claims can be made for electronic cigarettes beyond smoking cessation in the context of a licensed smoking-cessation product.

As yet, Radiocentre has not seen any products that have been licensed as a medicine or medical device.

Promotion of electronic cigarettes as a means of smoking cessation is permissible only as part of a public health campaign by national government health departments, national public health bodies, stop smoking services, and charities that do not receive funding from the tobacco or electronic cigarette industries. Such campaigns must not be conducted in the course of a business, or seek to promote specific, unlicensed, nicotine-containing electronic cigarette products.

Ads must not undermine the message that quitting smoking is a better alternative to using e-cigarettes, e.g. “Why stop when you could switch?”

Ads for electronic cigarettes must not glamorise, encourage or normalise conventional smoking and references to smoking must be in a negative context; e-cigs may be promoted as an alternative to smoking (e.g. “switch to e-cigs”) and must target existing smokers, rather than former or non-smokers.

Ads must be scheduled away from programming likely to appeal to under 18s, and not be likely to appeal to under 18s.