Vape shop owner disappointed by vape ban plans

Pete Brierley said a disposable vape ban will cause supply chain issues for Guernsey

A Guernsey vape shop owner said he was "disappointed" by plans to make disposable vapes illegal in the UK.

Pete Brierley, who owns Vape Head and Jabba's Hutt, said the ban would cause supply chain issues for the island.

Guernsey's committee for Health and Social Care said it would wish to move towards greater regulation through legislation.

Like the UK government, the committee is also considering measures such as a ban on disposable vapes.

'Kids shouldn't smoke'

Mr Brierley said: "I agree that kids shouldn't smoke. We have a rule here that if you don't smoke, then don't vape. Both of my shops here are no under eighteens.

"I think there was a lot more they should have done prior to an outright ban. An outright ban is going to be difficult for a lot of retailers."

The message from Guernsey's Health Improvement Commission is also: "If you don't smoke, then you shouldn't vape."

The committee for Health and Social Care said it would wish to move towards greater regulation of disposable vapes

The charity is calling for islanders to change their attitudes towards vaping.

The commission has been working alongside public health to educate parents and children about the harms of vaping by delivering lessons and producing leaflets for schools.

Sixteen year-old Ella, from the Guernsey Youth Forum, said young people were finding it hard to "escape" the "targeted" marketing of vaping in Guernsey.

She said she would like to see tighter rules on vaping for people her own age.

'Regulation of vapes'

The committee for Health and Social Care expects the regulation of vapes to include how these products can, or cannot, be promoted, and an age of sale ban to under 18s in the first instance.

The consideration of a ban on disposable vapes is openly supported by the President of the Committee for Environment and Infrastructure, Deputy Lindsay De Sausmarez.

She said it would support increased measures on single-use vapes for environmental purposes.