Kent Trading Standard reports dramatic rise in counterfeit vapes seized
December 28, 2022
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The number of potentially unsafe disposable vapes seized at the Channel ports has risen “dramatically”, stated a recent report, adding that demand for disposable vapes has risen dramatically over the last nine months while sweet flavours are being used to attract young shoppers.
More than 300,000 of the counterfeit products had been seized during December, BBC stated on Tuesday (27), citing Kent Trading Standards.
“A lot of our work has been focused on retail outlets but this is now higher up the supply chain,” the report quoted James Whiddett, Operations Manager- Trading Standards, Kent County Council, as saying.
He said children were being attracted to vaping by the sweet flavours.
“We’re stopping these devices which may have about 10 times the legal limit of nicotine in them,” he said, adding that the current legal limit on the tank on disposable vapes is 2ml, which is the equivalent of 600 puffs.
“The products which we’re seeing coming into the country at the moment have 3,500 puffs on them and some have 7,000 puffs, so they are illegal and cannot be supplied to anyone,” he said.
The Kent Trading Standard officer also stated that the demand for disposable vapes had risen dramatically over the last nine months.
“The flavours, the fact that people don’t have to put their own liquids in, means it’s convenient and easy. We’re not sure where these illegal vapes were going, and our investigations are ongoing,” he said.
Gillian Golden, CEO of the Independent British Vape Trade Association, said: “Non-compliant vape products are also associated with non-compliant sales, often to underage consumers.”
She said the association would continue to assist trading standards over non-compliant vaping products.
