A series of raids have been carried out across the UK by Trading Standards officers in Staffordshire and Greater Manchester.
The vapes, which had a combined value of a staggering £113,000, have been seized in the raids as part of a National Trading Standards initiative to tackle the supply and sale of illegal vapes and e-cigarettes.
Officers seized some single-use vapes which had a 14ml capacity, with an estimated 9,000 puffs – seven times the legal limit.
The current legal requirements for vapes in the UK include:
- 2ml tank size
- 20mg/ml (or 2%) maximum nicotine strength
- 600 number of puffs
- 10ml maximum refill bottle
The rise of illegal disposable vapes are thought to be the biggest current threat to our nation’s youth.
A school in Kidderminster recently confiscated vapes from pupils which underwent testing that revealed high levels of lead, nickel and chromium. The results showed children using them could be inhaling more than twice the daily safe amount of lead, and nine times the safe amount of nickel.
High levels of lead exposure in children can affect the central nervous system and brain development, according to the World Health Organization.
With their fruity flavours and teen idols like Lana Del Rey often spotted dual-wielding a microphone and vape onstage, it comes as no surprise that children are getting hooked on vapes – with 1 in 5 15-year-olds now vaping.