Manchester Police Warn of Sale of Illegal E-cigarettes to Minors

According to a report by the Manchester Evening News on April 23rd, Greater Manchester Police announced that underage individuals are being illegally sold e-cigarettes containing unknown substances. Parents are being warned about multiple incidents involving the purchase of illegal e-cigarettes in stores or being offered e-cigarettes from cars. Police have stated that these e-cigarettes can be easily mistaken for other items, such as highlighter pens.

Following the recent warning, an investigation by the Manchester Evening News found that the illegal sale of e-cigarettes is raising concerns about safety, particularly in the city center where stores openly sell these counterfeit goods.

Current laws impose strict limits on nicotine and e-liquid content in disposable e-cigarettes. However, it is still possible to find e-cigarettes claiming to contain higher levels of e-liquid in busy newsstands and corner stores. The government has announced plans to ban the sale of disposable e-cigarettes in England, Scotland, and Wales. This measure is expected to take effect by the end of 2024 or early 2025, with the aim of curbing the use of e-cigarettes among young people.

The police have also warned that criminals are luring children into e-cigarette shops with "free gifts," then tracking and extorting them on Snapchat.

Neil Coe, principal of West Horton High School, has revealed that four students at the school were hospitalized after inhaling e-cigarettes allegedly laced with dangerous substances such as THC and synthetic drugs. Coe also stated that he has had to schedule teachers on duty outside the bathrooms around the clock to prevent students from vaping e-cigarettes.

The first major incident faced by the aforementioned school occurred just before Christmas, when three students were hospitalized in one day for vaping e-cigarettes outside of campus. Several weeks later, another student who was vaping e-cigarettes on campus was also hospitalized.

The principal of St. John Henry Newman Catholic College in Oldham, Glyn Potts, also described a situation from last year where a student fainted and had to be hospitalized after inhaling a modified e-cigarette. It was later discovered that the e-cigarette contained spice - a synthetic drug that can cause users to enter a "zombie-like state.

Greater Manchester Police have issued a new warning, stating: "We have received reports of adults selling illegal e-cigarettes containing unknown substances to children. These e-cigarettes can easily be mistaken for items such as markers. We are aware that these illegal e-cigarettes are not only being sold in stores, but individuals are also selling them to children from vehicles. Please ensure your children are aware of the dangers of these illegal e-cigarettes."