TRADING STANDARDS
ILLEGAL VAPES
Vapes aimed at kids seized in crackdown Products were removed from sale because of their design, labelling, and nicotine content.
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llegal vaping products targeting children have been seized in a major six-week operation by Middlesbrough Council’s Trading Standards team. The vapes are typically sold in brightly coloured packaging and with flavours and names, such as Strawberry or Banana Milkshake, Unicorn Shake and Tiger Blood, to appeal to children and young people. Products removed from sale include the brands Elf, Solaz, Voopoo, Elux 3500 puffs, Hipster Glow 2000 puffs and Hipster 2600 puffs, which are illegal in relation to their design, labelling and nicotine content. Many are also not registered with the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Authority, while others were also found to be counterfeit. Some of the seized products had tank sizes up to three times the legal limit, as well as incorrect labelling, with devices lacking information including sufficient health warnings or the details of a UK-based manufacturer or importer who can be contacted in the event of a safety issue.
In an attempt to avoid detection some products did not display the nicotine content of the product. The Trading Standards team have been told by local shop owners that retailers are being approached by mobile sellers who are selling the e-cigarettes from vans. More than 43 retailers in Middlesbrough were visited by trading standards, with nearly 4,000 products being taken off sale. Investigations into the sale of these illegal products are ongoing.
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Judith Hedgley, Middlesbrough Council’s Head of Public Protection, said: “We will continue to work with local businesses to protect fair and lawful trading practices, to raise awareness of our concerns over illegal vaping products and advise them on how to avoid buying unsafe goods. “However, we will take appropriate enforcement action against businesses that fail to carry out appropriate product safety checks and expose their customers to unsafe vape products.”
