Sales of vapes to children have reduced - council

There are concerns about vapes being sold to children in Blackpool

A clampdown on the illegal sale of vapes to children in a seaside town is succeeding, a local authority has said.

Blackpool Council said the majority of premises, which had failed test purchases last December passed a second test.

However the council said dangerous e-cigarettes continued to be found in shops in the town.

Councillors have heard about concerns young people are being targeted by unscrupulous traders.

Figures show almost a third of young people in Blackpool use vapes

A meeting of Blackpool Council's Climate Change and Environment Scrutiny Committee was told a campaign in December last year saw 10 premises visited by a 15-year-old girl as part of a test purchase operation.

She attempted to buy e-cigarettes containing nicotine.

The teenager was not asked for proof of age in any of the stores, meaning the operation resulted in a 100% failure rate.

However councillors have been told the same shops were tested again on 19 February, which produced a 70% pass rate.

'Really concerning'

Blackpool Council's head of public protection and enforcement Jennifer Clayton said it showed that visits undertaken by Trading Standards officers had been successful.

She said she was hopeful "with continued visits, the pass rate will significantly increase year on year, hopefully achieving 100% compliance".

Ms Clayton added: "Children are in school uniform walking home from school with these vapes in their hands, which is really concerning".

A recent survey by HealthWatch Blackpool found 31% of young people currently vape or sometimes vape.

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