The government will close a loophole that allows retailers to give free samples of vapes to children in England and will review the rules on issuing fines to shops selling vapes to under 18s illegally.
The move follows recent NHS figures showing a 9% rise in e-cigarette and vape use among 11 to 15-year-olds.
The government is concerned about the impact of vaping on children and will take action to prevent marketing and sales of vapes to children.
The UK Health Minister, Neil O'Brien, announced plans to crack down on the sale of vapes to underage children.
The government will review the rules for issuing on-the-spot fines to shops that break the law by selling vapes to minors, and is considering banning the sale of nicotine-free vapes to under 18s.
The new "illicit vapes enforcement squad" will work with enforcement agencies to clamp down on online shops selling illicit vapes to under 18s.
The CEO of the Independent British Vape Trade Association, Gillian Golden, supports the plans and says that selling products to under 18s has been illegal for some years now.
The government will also include information on the health risks of vaping in Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) lessons in schools to discourage children from taking up vaping.
LONDON DAILY ARCHIVE
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