Wales: Illegal e-cigarettes sold in toy shops

Trading Standards Wales[1] said it had seized more than 140,000 electronic vaping devices in recent months, sold in toy stores across the country or through vape shops. These products, which fall outside UK restrictions, can have much higher nicotine levels than permitted (20mg/ml) and larger e-liquid tanks (over 2ml or around 700 puffs).[2].

The products affected are mainly disposable devices (puffs). From 1 April 2025, the Welsh Government plans to ban these products due to their significant impact on the environment and in order to protect younger generations.

Products presented as toys

Some of these vaping devices are shaped like a toy (plush) or a drink. The outer packaging states that the product does not contain nicotine but when the outer packaging is removed, inside is a disposable vape containing 2 % of nicotine and up to 7000 puffs.

Indeed, with the advent of disposable e-cigarettes, the appearance of vaping devices has rapidly transformed from discreet designs to quirky, colorful products resembling toys, including soda bottles, ice cream cones, stuffed animals, and cartoon characters. A paper published in the journal Tobacco Control demonstrated that e-cigarettes that resemble toys, candy, or other consumable products can create the impression that the products are safe and can therefore encourage young people to experiment with them.

This type of product is widely available on the Internet where many French sites sell them. These products are sold illegally because they contain nicotine levels higher than those authorized in France and the EU (3%). In addition, their liquid capacities are higher than the authorized ceiling (up to 18ml). Finally, they are sold without any age control.

Easily accessible products for young teenagers

A investigation[3] was conducted among over 12,000 secondary school pupils in Wales between September and December 2023. It is the largest of its kind in the UK on this topic. It found that over half (55,133) of teenagers who vape are using products that are not licensed for sale. Over nine in 10 (92,133) vapers reported using a product containing nicotine. The study also found that almost half (45,133) of children who vape say they cannot go through the whole day at school without doing so; "This shows a level of dependence that we did not suspect", said Suzanne Cass, chief executive of ASH Wales.

More than 4 in 10 (42 %) middle school students say that vapes are easy to obtain and more than half of students (57 %) say that vaping is common in their age group. 7 % middle school students are currently vapers (37% of them are vape smokers). 13 % first and final year teenagers (31% of them are vape smokers).

The Welsh Government is working with other UK governments to tackle youth vaping and reduce the appeal, availability and accessibility of vaping products to teenagers through the Tobacco and Vapes Bill. The Bill will allow Wales and other nations to regulate the flavours and contents of vapes, their packaging and restrict their visibility at points of sale (display bans), to prevent them being promoted to young people.

©Tobacco Free Generation

AE

[1] These bodies ensure the application of national and regional legislation on consumer protection.

[2] Will Fyfe, Illegal vapes sold to children in toy shops, BBC News, published 15 May 2024, accessed 16 May 2024

[3] Communicated, NEW SURVEY REVEALS THOUSANDS OF CHILD VAPERS NOW DEPENDENT ON UNTESTED PRODUCTS, ASH Wales, published 15 May 2024, accessed 16 May 2024