The Rise of Illegal Vapes in Derbyshire: Tackling Non-Compliant Products

Illegal vapes are flooding Derbyshire and the rest of the country, leading to a surge in complaints and seizures by trading standards teams. Since last June, Derbyshire County Council's trading standards team has seized over 8,000 illegal vaping products from around 60 local businesses. Meanwhile, complaints about non-compliant products being sold have increased five-fold in the past year. This article delves into the issue of illegal vaping products and what is being done to tackle it.



The Scale of the Problem

Derbyshire is not alone in its struggle against the influx of illegal vaping products. The Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) has reported that trading standards teams across the country are becoming overwhelmed by the sheer volume of non-compliant vapes being sold by retailers. According to the latest figures highlighted by the CTSI, more than 138 million disposable vapes are sold every year. However, one in three products are potentially non-compliant, meaning that over 45 million non-compliant products are sold every year.

Illegal Vape Regulations

The regulations surrounding vapes state that they are required to have tanks with a capacity of no more than 2ml, a nicotine strength of no more than 20mg/ml, and must display manufacturer details and health warnings on their labels. Any vapes that exceed these amounts are illegal and should not be sold to consumers. While there is no definitive health risk to using non-compliant vapes, the Medical and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) strongly advises consumers not to use them as the true content is unknown and could therefore pose a health risk.

Trading Standards' Response

Derbyshire's trading standards officers have already diverted resources from other areas of work to try to tackle the issue in the county and clamp down on the illegal trade and under-age sales of such products. They are following up on complaints about the selling of illegal vaping products and are also visiting businesses to offer advice and guidance on sales, including warning of under-age sales of vaping products.

Cabinet member for health and communities, Councillor Carol Hart, stated that "our trading standards officers are working tirelessly to crack down on the sale of illegal vaping products, but the influx to our county and nationwide is huge and it's a tough task. These products can be illegal for a number of reasons, including the strength and content of the product, and that means that many of them could pose a health risk. It's our job to protect consumers and also legitimate traders and we are putting in as many resources as we can to try to tackle this problem. Rest assured the team are doing all they can and we're asking people to continue to report any concerns they may have and they will be investigated."

Conclusion

The issue of illegal vaping products is a serious one that is affecting Derbyshire and the rest of the country. While not smoking at all is the best option, it's important to remember that vapes that are compliant with the law are substantially less harmful than smoking cigarettes and can be effective for helping people quit smoking. The trading standards teams are doing all they can to tackle the issue and protect consumers and legitimate traders.

FAQs

What are the regulations surrounding vapes?

The regulations state that vapes must have tanks with a capacity of no more than 2ml, a nicotine strength of no more than 20mg/ml, and must display manufacturer details and health warnings on their labels. Any vapes that exceed these amounts are illegal and should not be sold to consumers.

Why are non-compliant vapes potentially dangerous?

Non-compliant vapes have unknown content and therefore could pose a health risk to users.

How can I report issues concerning the sale of illegal vapes?

To report any issues concerning the sale of illegal vapes to trading standards, residents should contact Citizens Advice or call 0808 2231133.

Are all vapes harmful to health?

While there is no definitive health risk to using compliant vapes, they are not risk-free. However, they are substantially less harmful than smoking cigarettes.

What is being done to tackle the issue of illegal vaping products?

Trading standards teams are diverting resources from other areas of work to tackle the issue and are following up on complaints about the selling of illegal vaping products. They are also visiting businesses to offer advice and guidance on sales, including warning of under-age sales of vaping products.

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