Guernsey Rejects Petition to Overturn Under-18 Vape Shop Ban

Key Takeaways

• A petition to overturn Guernsey’s new ban on under-18s entering vape shops has been rejected.
• The Health and Social Care Committee said the ban is intended to protect children from exposure to vaping products.
• Guernsey banned the sale of vapes to under-18s in June last year.
• Disposable vape sales have been banned since January 31.
• The under-18 vape shop entry ban is set to come into force at the end of March.

2Firsts, March 23, 2026

According to BBC, a petition seeking to overturn a new ban on under-18s entering vape shops in Guernsey has been rejected.

The under-18 vape shop entry ban is due to take effect at the end of March

The Health and Social Care Committee said the ban meets its objective of protecting children “from exposure to vaping products.”

The response followed a campaign by VapeBar Guernsey, which asked for the scrapping of incoming legislation that would make it illegal for children to enter vape shop premises.

Guernsey had already banned vape sales to under-18s and disposable vapes

The original report said selling vapes to under-18s was banned in June last year, and that since January 31 it has also been illegal to sell disposable vapes.

The ban on under-18s entering vape shops is set to come into force at the end of March. VapeBar Guernsey said “thousands” had signed its petition.

The committee said the rules reduce exposure, while the retailer called the decision “disconnected from reality”

In a statement, VapeBar Guernsey said the judgement was “disconnected from reality.” The company said that after more than 1,300 islanders signed the petition, the response was a flat refusal, with no willingness to listen, no compromise, and no acknowledgement of local families or small businesses trying to operate responsibly.

The company also said it was not asking to expose children to harm, but was asking for practical and realistic policies that reflect how families actually live.

However, the Health and Social Care Committee said it recognised the concerns raised in the petition, but that “the primary purpose of this legislation is to reduce children’s exposure to vaping products, particularly given the evidence of marketing practices that appeal directly to young people.”

The committee also said specialist vape retailers that fully comply with advertising and display restrictions could still allow under-18s to enter.

It added that it remains confident the proposed regulations strike the right balance between supporting adult smokers and protecting young people from early exposure to vaping products.

Image source: BBC