London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Aug 02, 2025

Keep vapes out of sight of children in shops, say councils

Keep vapes out of sight of children in shops, say councils

Vapes should be kept out of sight of children in shops and the legal minimum age of 18 should be marked clearly on each product, say councils in England.

Too many children are being illegally sold vapes with fruity flavours and colourful packaging, they say.

Doctors have warned of the potential long-term effects of vaping on the lungs, and are calling for tighter rules on packaging and advertising.

Vapes should only be used by smokers who want to give up tobacco.

In the UK, only those aged 18 and over can buy vapes or e-cigarettes.

But vaping is growing in popularity among teenagers, who often use disposable single-use products like Elf and Geek bars.

They come in a variety of flavours and colours, are marketed on social media and can be bought in many High Street shops, such as newsagents or mobile phone outlets. They cost about £5.

The Local Government Association (LGA), which represents councils in England, is calling for vaping products to be subject to the same rules as cigarettes - sold in plain packaging and kept out of reach and sight of children behind shop counters.

Vapes or e-cigarettes are safer than cigarettes because they do not contain harmful tobacco, or produce dangerous tar or carbon monoxide from tobacco smoke.

However, they usually contain the addictive substance nicotine and, if the devices used are illegal, they can also contain potentially dangerous levels of that and other ingredients. Health experts say vaping is not risk-free.

Single-use or disposable vapes come in all sorts of colours and flavours

Young people who vape regularly have reported getting nosebleeds, headaches and sore throats. Others say they feel like they are addicted.

"It is not right that stores are able to prominently display vaping paraphernalia for all to see, such as in a shop window, often in bright, colourful packaging that can appeal to children," said councillor David Fothergill, chairman of the LGA's Community Wellbeing Board.

He also said it was "deeply worrying" that more and more children who had never smoked are starting to vape.

Health charity Ash, which has been providing resources for schools, parents and teachers on how to stop children vaping, says the government should introduce a tax on single-use disposable vapes in the Budget in March.

"In one simple step this would reduce both child vaping and the vast quantities of single-use vapes being thrown into landfill," says chief executive Deborah Arnott.

The charity also suggests product names resembling sweets or featuring cartoon characters should be banned, and anyone who looks under 25 should be asked for ID in shops.

A lorry full of thousands of illegal vaping products seized by Trading Standards in the north-east of England


Trading Standards recently said that one in three businesses has been found to break the law over under-age sales of vaping products, and it wants to see them face tougher penalties.

It is also regularly seizing lorry loads of counterfeit and illegal vapes from shops across the country, as well as at Channel ports.

Some 8.6% of 11 to 18-year-olds in England are vaping, latest figures show, up from 4% in 2021. Among adults, it is about 7%.

More than half of all current young vapers use disposable vaping products, compared with just 7.8% two years ago.

The Scottish government says it will consider a potential ban on disposable vapes as part of a plan to reduce their impact on public health and the environment.

In October, the Irish government launched a consultation on banning "wasteful" disposable vape products, citing concerns over littering.

A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care in England said tough regulations on advertising vaping products to children, nicotine strength, labelling and safety were already in place.

They added: "We are carefully considering the recommendations from the Khan review: making smoking obsolete, including what more can be done to protect children from vaping."

The UK Vaping Industry Association said the solution is to enforce existing laws on retailers rather than focus on packaging.

It says it is developing detailed proposals for the government to consider - "including substantial on the spot fines and nationwide retail licensing and test purchasing schemes".

It also maintains that disposable vapes are not just being used by young people - they are also sought after by older adults too.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Germany Enters Fiscal Crisis as Cabinet Approves €174 Billion in New Debt
Trump Administration Finalizes Broad Tariff Increases on Global Trade Partners
J.K. Rowling Limits Public Engagements Citing Safety Fears
JD.com Launches €2.2 Billion Bid for German Electronics Retailer Ceconomy
Azerbaijan Proceeds with Plan to Legalise Casinos on Artificial Islands
Former Judge Charged After Drunk Driving Crash Kills Comedian in Brazil
Jeff Bezos hasn’t paid a dollar in taxes for decades. He makes billions and pays $0 in taxes, LEGALLY
China Increases Use of Exit Bans Amid Rising U.S. Tensions
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Procter & Gamble to Raise U.S. Prices to Offset One‑Billion‑Dollar Tariff Cost
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
Botswana Seeks Controlling Stake in De Beers as Anglo American Prepares Exit
Trump Administration Proposes Repeal of Obama‑Era Endangerment Finding, Dismantling Regulatory Basis for CO₂ Emissions Limits
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
A family has been arrested in the UK for displaying the British flag
Mel Gibson refuses to work with Robert De Niro, saying, "Keep that woke clown away from me."
Trump Steamrolls EU in Landmark Trade Win: US–EU Trade Deal Imposes 15% Tariff on European Imports
ChatGPT CEO Sam Altman says people share personal info with ChatGPT but don’t know chats can be used as court evidence in legal cases.
The British propaganda channel BBC News lies again.
Deputy attorney general's second day of meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell has concluded
Controversial March in Switzerland Features Men Dressed in Nazi Uniforms
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
Thai Civilian Death Toll Rises to 12 in Cambodian Cross-Border Attacks
TSUNAMI: Trump Just Crossed the Rubicon—And There’s No Turning Back
Over 120 Criminal Cases Dismissed in Boston Amid Public Defender Shortage
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
Trump Announces $550 Billion Japanese Investment and New Trade Agreements with Indonesia and the Philippines
US Treasury Secretary Calls for Institutional Review of Federal Reserve Amid AI‑Driven Growth Expectations
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Severe Flooding in South Korea Claims Lives Amid Ongoing Rescue Operations
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
×