Council backs national crackdown on illegal vaping sales
The chief executive of Lancashire County Council will write to the Prime Minister, backing a national crackdown on unscrupulous businesses targeting young people with vaping products.
Lancashire County Council welcomes the Prime Minister's recent statement expressing deep concern about the sharp rise in children vaping and is shocked by reports of illicit vapes containing lead getting into the hands of schoolchildren.
County Councillor Sue Whittam, who tabled the motion at the latest full council meeting last week, also asked the chief executive to write to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care in support of the review on the rules for issuing on-the-spot fines to shops that break the law by selling vapes to underage children, and look into banning the sale of nicotine-free vapes to under 18s.
She also asked County Councillor Michael Green, cabinet member for health and wellbeing, to take a report to Lancashire's Health and Wellbeing Board, to include enforcement activity related to the illegal sale of vaping products to children and opportunities for further communicating the potential dangers of vaping to young people.
A friendly amendment was added, to say that further resources will be looked at to support the work of Trading Standards in tackling the vaping issue.
The latest NHS figures show that the number of 11 to 15 year old children using vapes has increased by 50% between 2018 and 2021.
A recent Lancashire Trading Standards survey of young people aged 14-17 showed that one in six make regular use of vapes, almost three times as many as in 2020. Lancashire Trading Standards have seen a significant increase in complaints about sales of disposable vapes to young people, despite it being illegal to sell vapes to under-18s.
It is clear from the recent rise in teenage use of vapes and the recent surge in the use and promotion of cheap, colourful products, that unscrupulous businesses are targeting children. Almost half of Lancashire's young people have claimed to have never smoked a cigarette, but have tried a vape.
County Councillor Michael Green said: "There are growing concerns about the numbers of young people using vapes. Lancashire Trading Standards have seen a significant increase in complaints about sales of disposable vapes to young people.
"Trading Standards work hard to ensure the vapes sold are legal and safe. If they aren’t, they are seized from the sellers. This year so far over 11,000 vapes that don’t have the correct legal information or have tank sizes greater than 2ml have been removed from sale.
"Disposable vapes have thus far been the most problematic and these are the most common type of vapes smoked by our young people with seven out of ten young people in Lancashire preferring this type of vapes. These vapes are attractive with their bright colours, fruity flavours and pocket money prices.
"It is clearly important that we do everything we can to reduce vaping in children, as well as smoking in children but existing smokers should still be encouraged to switch to vapes, because it's believed they are better than cigarettes.
"E-cigarettes are an age restricted product. It is illegal to sell e-cigarette products to anyone under 18 or for adults to buy them on their behalf. The maximum penalty for selling an e-cigarette to a person under 18 years is a fine of £2,500.
"I encourage anyone wishing to report a shop selling e–cigarettes to young people under 18 years of age or to report any vapes they don’t think are legal can refer such issues to Trading Standards via the CAB Helpline on 0808 223 1133."