Retailers would have to pay for a permit to sell vape products under proposals from the UK Vaping Industry Association aimed at tackling underage sales.
The trade body is also calling for “no holds barred enforcement” and a minimum fine of £10,000 for retailers caught selling to under 18-year-olds or trading vapes not listed by the government’s Medicines & Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
It said it wanted to “rid the industry of the scourge of rogue traders intent on making a fast buck out of kids at the expense of the safety of young people”, adding that enforcement should be applied consistently, including to online marketplaces such as Amazon and eBay.
The UKVIA pointed to recent media reports about children trying vape products as evidence the rate of underage vaping was on the rise.
“Enough is enough, the industry has a duty of care to young people,” said UKVIA director general John Dunne. “We need to send a strong message out to the minority of rogue retailers and wholesalers who do not care about breaking the law as they know they won’t get severely punished for doing so.
“The time has come to introduce heavy fines to deter rogue retailers from reoffending and putting vape products into the wrong hands. There needs to be consistency across the board and any regime that is introduced to stamp out underage access to vapes needs to be applied to all retailers, including specialist vape stores and e-commerce sites, convenience stores, supermarkets and online marketplaces like eBay and Amazon.”
Read more: Over-strength vape products openly sold online and in stores, finds UKVIA investigation
The association said it had been working closely with Trading Standards across the country to support the seizure of non-MHRA listed disposable vape products which were “proving to be appealing to young people”.
It is planning a consultation with its 100 memmbers on the future enforcement, building on its work with Trading Standards.
“We need to figure out how heightened and more consistent enforcement across the country is paid for and we need to put all ideas on the table including vape retail licensing, where retailers would have to pay for a permit to trade vape products,” said Dunne. “We want to support Trading Standards in every way we can so that regulation can have the desired effect in giving the highest level of protection to children when it comes to the sale of vape products.”
UKVIA’s review of enforcement is backed by disposable vape manufacturer Geek Bar.
Geek Bar CEO Allen Yang said: “We applaud and fully support the call by the UKVIA. The responsible segment of the industry has to lead by example and rid itself of those who are, and will always be, intent on breaking the law by selling vape products to those who are underage.”
An eBay spokesman said: “Only permitted business sellers can list vape products on eBay. They must use the VerifyMyAge platform, which is currently the only age verification process that satisfies due diligences described in the government-backed Business Companion guide for online age verification checks.
“All listings must also include a warning that buyers must be over the age of 18.”
Amazon said it required age verification for all e-cigarette devices upon delivery and did not allow the sale of vape or e-cigarette liquids containing nicotine.
No comments yet