Give vapes strict alcohol regulations and prosecute suppliers for selling devices to children, British retailers are urging
RETAILERS are calling for mandatory testing of vapes and alcohol licenses to protect vapers and prevent rogue shops from selling to children.
Nearly nine in ten retailers (87%) want all vapes tested and certified before they hit shelves to ensure they meet UK safety standards, amid a flood of illegal ‘mega vapes’ ‘ from China.
And three-quarters (76%) are in favor of retail licensing – putting vapes on a par with alcohol – so that those who flout the law and sell to children can be banned, according to an independent survey by Britain in Focus .
The overwhelming support will reassure those who support stricter controls but fear the risk of burdening small businesses with stricter regulations.
It comes after the Daily Mail revealed MPs were pressuring the government to tighten the new tobacco and vaping law to protect young people from the addictive and potentially dangerous devices.
Last year, market leader Elfbar – which accounts for more than a third of all vape sales in the UK and is the most popular brand among children – was caught selling illegal vapes with nicotine levels well above UK limits
NHS Digital data, based on the Smoking, Drinking and Drugs Among Young People in England Survey for the year 2021, showed that 30 per cent of children in Yorkshire and the Humber have used a vape
A majority of retailers believe the government has still not done enough to tackle underage vaping, while a quarter say underage vaping is common in their region.
Amazingly, vapes are currently not tested before hitting shelves, despite a series of safety scandals involving cheap Chinese imports.
In March it was revealed that a third of all vaping products sold in Britain were non-compliant and the Chartered Trading Standards Institute warned they were being ‘overwhelmed’ by a ‘tidal wave’ of illegal devices.
Last year, market leader Elfbar – which accounts for more than a third of all UK vape sales and is the most popular brand with children – was caught by MailOnline selling illegal vapes with nicotine levels well above UK limits.
Supermarkets and wholesalers pulled the Chinese company’s best-selling Elfbar 600 from shelves and the MHRA watchdog issued a national warning after our tests showed they exceeded the 2ml limit by more than 50 percent.
Trading Standards also carried out raids in 2021 and issued an urgent warning after finding Geek Bar Pros – owned by the same Chinese company – for sale in UK stores with a nicotine content of five per cent, more than TWICE the UK limit.
They were so powerful that young users reported nosebleeds, coughing up blood, headaches, chest pain and dizziness.
The research found that almost a quarter (23%) of retailers found it difficult to determine whether the vapes they were selling were in breach of UK regulations.
There are also no restrictions on where vapes can be sold. The brightly colored gadgets are currently on the shelves of candy stores and even toy stores.
Overall, retailers overwhelmingly support the introduction of a license for retailers selling vapes to bring them on par with alcohol, with 76 percent in favor.
The poll found widespread concern among retailers about the lack of restrictions on who can sell the devices. 54 percent say they are ‘concerned’ or ‘very concerned’ that vapes can be sold in any commercial premises.
A majority of retailers (56 percent) also believe the government has still not done enough to tackle underage vaping, while a quarter say underage vaping is common in their region.
The high level of support for a vape license reflects the views of the general public, with 79 percent of the public supporting the introduction of a vape retail license.
The survey of 1,000 retailers was conducted for British vaping company British American Tobacco, which is backing tougher laws to protect vaping’s reputation and maintain the trust of adults using it as a smoking cessation tool.
Asli Ertonguc, from BAT, said: ‘The Tobacco and Vaping Act is an opportunity for the Government to introduce smarter regulation for vaping products so that it is fit to meet the UK’s ambition to be smoke-free by 2030 – an ambition we to share .
‘It is clear that most people do not believe that the current punishments work. We believe that a licensing system can play a crucial role in this. If you violate your license, you will lose it. This works with alcohol; we think it will work with vaping too.”