Vaping has helped some people give up cigarettes

TRANSPORT for London raked in almost half a million pounds from tobacco companies in a year while clamping down on fast food ads, the Extra can reveal.

A freedom of information, FOI, request has revealed that the number of “tobacco and accessories” campaigns which appeared on Transport for London services increased five-fold last year.

Data shows that there were 36 tobacco and accessories campaigns at London tube stations and on buses in the year 2022/23, up from just seven the previous year.

The Extra’s FOI request also reveals revenue generated by these campaigns amounts to almost £500,000.

Hazel Cheeseman, deputy chief executive of Action on Smoking and Health, that was set up to “end the harm caused by tobacco”, said: “Rather than TfL selling their advertising space to tobacco companies to market their vaping products it would be great to see this space being used by councils and the NHS to promote the importance of quitting to smokers, including encouraging them to switch to vaping.

“Even though vaping is less harmful than smoking, not enough smokers believe this.

“It would be good for the health of the capital if TfL advertising was used to encourage smokers to switch, a message far too important to be left to the commercially interested and untrustworthy tobacco industry.”

There were 10 separate companies which ran adverts on tube services, including brands such as British American Tobacco, Japan Tobacco International, and Vaporesso.

Japan Tobacco International owns Nordic Spirit, which produces Snus, a nicotine pouch that sits between the lip and gums.

A spokesperson for TfL said: “All advertising copy on our network is reviewed on a case-by-case basis against TfL’s advertising policy, which requires advertisers to comply with Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) Guidance and Committees of Advertising Practice (CAP) Codes.”

They added: “While the advertising of tobacco was banned in the UK in 2003, our advertising policy allows adverts for vapes and e-cigarette products on outdoor advertising sites as long as they meet the requirements of the UK advertising codes.”

It comes in the week that comedian Ed Gamble was forced to change his show advert because it featured a hot dog.

According to TfL, the hot dog did not comply with their policy which bans food high in fat, sugar and salt from being featured on buses and tubes throughout London.

Yet other fast food ads remain present across the tube network.

TfL’s guidelines state that: “an advertisement will not be approved if… it promotes (directly or indirectly) food or non-alcoholic drink which is high in fat, salt and/or sugar”.

This ban came into force in 2019 and applies to advertising on the Underground and Overground as well as buses and bus shelters.

Westminster City Council is campaigning against sales of “illegal” vapes in the West End.