On April 16th, The Guardian reported that some e-cigarette brands sold in shops in England and Wales have been found to be breaking the law. Some e-cigarettes that claim to be nicotine-free were found to contain the same level of nicotine as those that do contain nicotine.
Inter Scientific provides product analysis testing to check if products meet regulations. The company shared data with The Guardian on its investigation of tens of e-cigarette brands sold in shops in England and Wales.
Product testing data has revealed that e-cigarettes with high nicotine content and large volumes are being illegally sold in shops. Laboratory analysis of 52 products purchased in the UK showed that 73% of e-cigarette liquids exceeded the legal limit of 2 milliliters. Additionally, over 40% of e-cigarettes were found to contain more than 5 milliliters of liquid.
Analysis shows that eight electronic cigarette brands claiming to be nicotine-free actually contain nicotine, with many of them containing nearly 20 milligrams per milliliter, which is the legal limit in the UK. One brand had nicotine content that was over 50% higher than the legal limit: Dr Gorilla King Blackcurrant Grape Slush claims to be nicotine-free, but actually contains 19.7 milligrams per milliliter of nicotine. Vape With a Bang Havana Tobacco's disposable e-cigarette with 6% nicotine content has the highest level of nicotine at 29.35 milligrams per milliliter, far above the legal limit. The Guardian was unable to track down the suppliers of these e-cigarettes for comment.
David Lawson, CEO of Inter Scientific and member of the regulatory affairs professional organization, has stated that there has been a significant increase in the quantity of illegal e-cigarette products being seized and sent for analysis according to trading standards. While these products may not pose an immediate health risk, they are circumventing regulations in the UK.
The Inter Scientific survey covered dozens of brands sold in stores in Newcastle, Birmingham, Hertfordshire, Staffordshire, Dudley, Liverpool, and Wales.
Inter Scientific is collaborating with trade standard organizations to combat illegal product sales in commercial street shops. In the last six months of 2022, more than 1.4 tons of illegal e-cigarettes were seized in the northeast of England alone.
Further reading:
The UK will allocate £3 million to establish a law enforcement team to shut down shops selling e-cigarettes to minors.
The UK government is planning to encourage a million smokers to switch to e-cigarettes. The aim is to reduce the smoking rate to 5% or less.
Elux has recalled six products in response to a request by the UK distributor Booker.
The Electronic Cigarette Association in the UK has stated that electronic cigarette products should undergo regular compliance testing.
Reference:
Tests reveal that some vapes marketed as "nicotine-free" contain high levels of addictive substances.
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