Exotic vapes ban would kill industry, retailer says

A ban on sweet-flavoured disposable e-cigarettes was being considered by the government, a report by the Sun said

A ban on exotic flavours of disposal e-cigarettes to stop children smoking them would ruin the industry, the owner of a vape shop said.

Ministers are considering the move around fruit and candy-flavoured vapes, according to a report in the Sun.

"All they are going to do is kill the industry," Andy Connellan, who runs Connect 2 Vapes in Worcester, said.

A range of measures were being considered, a Department of Health (DoH) spokesperson said.

The latest data showed reported usage of e-cigarettes has risen to 9% among 11 to 15-year-olds in England.

Instead of targeting sweet-flavoured disposable e-cigarettes, the government should make sure current laws about their sale to under-age children were enforced, Mr Connellan told BBC Radio 5 Live.

"How are the young people getting them? It's the retailers generally selling it to them," he said.

"It's just a case of enforcing the law. Trading standards have never been round to enforce that law at all and that's the problem."

It is illegal to sell vapes to under-18s.

Information about the sale of vaping productions to people under the legal age will be followed up and investigated, a spokesperson for Worcestershire Trading Standards said.

"We will not hesitate to take appropriate action, which includes a fine of up to £2,500, if an illegal sale is made," it added.

Banning the exotic-flavoured vapes would kill the industry, vape shop owner Andy Connellan said

NHS advice states the devices, which allow users to inhale nicotine in a vapour rather than smoke, can help adults quit smoking habits. But the vapour can still contain small amounts of chemicals, including nicotine.

Long-term effects remain unknown, although vapes are considered less harmful than smoking cigarettes.

The government was concerned about a rise in youth vaping, especially around disposal products, the DoH spokesperson said.

"We are exploring a range of measures to address this – including clamping down on children accessing vapes illegally and those who are getting them hooked on nicotine," they added.