Disposable e-cigarettes

Source: Aberdeen Trading Standards

Trading Standards officers in Aberdeen have seized disposable electronic cigarettes with more than five times the legal level of nicotine liquid from a local shop.

The investigation occurred amid concerns underage children are accessing these products.

Products seized included vapes with fruit, mint and cotton candy flavours.

Officers from Aberdeen Council’s trading standards service have visited stores in the city centre as part of a Scotland-wide project aimed at getting unsafe disposable vapes off sale. This comes as the Scottish Government recently wrote to all retailers which sell these devices advising them to check their stock.

The UK Vaping Industry Association (UKVIA) recently made a call for tougher measures to try to stop the illegal sales of certain disposable vaping devices.

Aberdeen Trading Standards service is contacting all distributors and retailers in the city to ensure that the law is fully understood and third parties take full responsibility for their actions, or potentially face a legal challenge.

Aberdeen City Council Trading Standards manager Graeme Paton said: “It was unacceptable that vapers are unknowingly risking their health by using these unsafe disposable products.

“Illegal and counterfeit products are flooding into the market and consequently pose a potential health risk to customers. Inappropriately branded products are also being purposely marketed towards children.

“Parents may not realise their children are vaping these unsafe devices - they are brightly coloured and closely resemble highlighter pens or make-up products. They cost from £5 to £7 each.”

Trading Standards also revealed that shops in the city centre are having to carry out more age checks than ever before due to so many trying to buy ‘Geek’ and ‘Elf Bar’ products by congregating outside shops on Union Street as well as trying to get adults to buy the vapes for them.