A report in The Sun quotes Whitehall sources who say the e-cigarette industry could be one area that is targeted in this autumn’s Budget to raise money to fund the government’s £20bn National Health Service pledge.

A spokesperson for UKVIA said: “Imposing a ‘sin tax’ on vaping is counterintuitive to the government’s mission to reduce smokers in the UK and lessen the burden for the NHS. Vaping is a huge public health opportunity which has already helped three million smokers quit or reduce smoking and saved the NHS billions of pounds according to the government’s own research.

“For the Treasury to impose yet another tax on vaping, not only wouldn’t make sense, but it would be detrimental to the NHS and public health in the UK.”

The Treasury has yet to comment on the reports.