A NEVER-ENDING BATTLE

GEEK BAR has issued alerts over illegal and illicit products amid reports of injuries and harmful chemicals

Words: Oliver Smith

WE TAKE GREAT CARE TO ENSURE THAT CONSUMERS CAN BE CONFIDENT THAT THE PRODUCTS THEY BUY FROM OUR TRUSTED RETAIL PARTNERS ARE GENUINE GEEK BAR DEVICES.

Unlike genuine products – which have undergone stringent emissions testing to ensure they are free from harmful chemicals and meet all of the UK’s regulatory and consumer safety standards –there are no such checks on illicit products.

Recent independent testing of illegal vapes which had been purchased in the UK, revealed that they contained dangerous levels of lead, nickel and chromium, in some cases up to ten times above safe limits.

Even more worryingly, ‘a small number’ of school children in Hampshire reportedly needed hospital treatment after using illegal vape products which contained additives which made them ill.

Allen Yang, CEO of GEEK BAR, said it was more important than ever that vapers knew the difference between compliant legal products and potentially deadly illegal ones.

He said: “It is abundantly clear that illegal products, which have undergone no safety checks whatsoever and which could make consumers seriously ill, are currently on the market.

“Consumers must be really careful about that they buy and where they buy from. Being offered devices from ‘under the counter’, from random strangers or at a price which seems too good to be true should all set alarm bells ringing.”

GEEK BAR, one of the world’s leading vape brands, has invested more than £120m in a new 95% automated intelligent factory which uses cutting edge technology to ensure the highest product standards.

It has also recently launched its new MELOSO vape range which features its bespoke VPU (Vaping Processing Unit).

While there is no suggestion that any of the illicit products are being passed of as genuine GEEK BAR vapes, Yang said the company would clamp down hard on anyone attempting to do so.

He added: “All GEEK BAR products go through the most rigorous quality control tests throughout the entire production process.

“We take great care to ensure that consumers can be confident that the products they buy from our trusted retail partners are genuine GEEK BAR devices.

“Unfortunately, as vaping gets ever more popular it attracts unscrupulous characters who will happily sell illegal products which put anyone using them at the risk of serious harm.”

Its parent company GEEKVAPE has already shut down a huge counterfeiting operation in the Philippines and has teams of lawyers ready to pounce when new counterfeit operations are detected around the globe.

Yang also called for much tougher enforcement of existing UK vape laws and backed proposals from the UK Vaping Industry Association which include fines of up to £10,000 for those selling illegal products or selling vapes to children.

A licensing scheme which would help fund enhanced Trading Standards enforcement and new powers to allow regulators to screen out child-friendly imagery or packaging as part of the initial approvals process.

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Data gathered through FOI requests by Arcus Compliance has shone a light on the activities of local Trading Standards in addressing youth access and illegal products.

The findings, which are due to be released in full later this month, show that, across six major UK cities, just two shops were successfully prosecuted for underage/illicit sales between 2021 and April 2023

Further, the highest total amount of fines given out across these same cities – which have a shared population of almost three million people – over the same time period was £1,878.

This is less than the current maximum fine that can be issued to just one offender at £2,500 and is considerably less than the £10,000 on-the-spot fines that much of the sector, led by the UK

Vaping Industry Association, has been asking for.

The data also covers the activity of Trading Standards teams in individual London Boroughs.

Of the five councils to respond so far, there was one reported successful prosecution and one fine of £1,000.

Robert Sidebottom, Managing Director of Arcus Compliance, said the ‘concerning lack’ of prosecutions and penalties shown by this data demonstrates that the ‘system is in serious distress’.

He said: “Trading Standards have been crying out for additional resources and support for some time and there’s no doubt as to why – without enough boots on the ground, too many rogue traders are getting past thinly spread enforcement officials.

“It’s staggering to see just how few prosecutions there have been and how low the levels of fines are given the huge amount of concern over youth and illicit vaping.

“We know that Trading Standards departments want and need to be doing more.”

Sidebottom added: “The government recently pledged £3 million to fund a dedicated vape task force as part of its crackdown on the sector, but this is a far cry from the final solution and more intervention is clearly needed.”

Sidebottom questioned whether actions like fines, prosecutions and product seizures were being tracked properly as cases continue to crop up in the media but didn’t seem to translate to the FOI feedback.

He also asked whether there were regional teams specifically tackling illicit vape trade or whether forces were spread across other age restricted areas like alcohol as well and suggested it might be time for a more focused approach.

In a new bid to curb youth access policymakers last week announced they will be ‘closing a loophole’ that allows the supply of free vaping samples to minors.

The government also said there will be a review into banning the sale of nicotine-free vapes to under-18s.

Though these developments were warmly welcomed by the sector as yet more ways to shield young people from unscrupulous sellers, industry leaders said we ‘must not’ forget about the areas of enforcement that seem to be falling by the wayside.

John Dunne, Director General of the UKVIA, said: “Closing loopholes and introducing balanced policies are important steps.

“But they will ultimately prove inconsequential if we fail to enforce the existing fundamental laws on illegal products and youth access.

“Although prosecutions and penalties are very much key weapons in our arsenal against cowboy sellers, they mean very little if Trading Standards don’t have the resources to pursue them – the government must take this new data very seriously.”