1.4 tons of Illegal Vapes Seized by UK Enforcement

Trading Standards teams from across the North East, working together as the North East Trading Standards Association, have removed thousands of non-compliant vaping products from sale. A total of 1.4 tonnes of illegal disposable vaping products seized from retailers during operations over the past six months have been sent for destruction.

All tobacco products, e-cigarettes and vape products, must comply with stringent tobacco control laws, including a limit on nicotine content and tank size. Some of the products seized had tank sizes up to seven times the legal limit as well as incorrect labelling, with devices lacking information including health warnings, batch details and hazard warnings.

Vaping devices must also display the details of a UK-based manufacturer or importer who can be contacted in the event of a safety issue. A large quantity of the disposable vapes seized was not authorized for sale in the UK.

Much of the work undertaken by the North East Trading Standards Association came about as a result of concerns from consumers regarding the sale of vaping devices to children. During test purchasing exercises undertaken by Trading Standards in March this year at 32 retailers, 44% of retailers sold a vaping device to an underage volunteer.

Also read: Combating Illegal E-Cigs is Challenging