Cumbria shops caught in underage vape sales crackdown

The number of young people vaping is on the rise, Cumberland Council said

An undercover sting operation has identified businesses that sold vapes to minors during the summer holiday.

Cumberland Council carried out a number of test purchases on retailers across its towns in the last two weeks of August.

Of businesses tested in Maryport, it found just over a third (34%) refused to sell e-cigarettes to children.

Traders can be prosecuted and fined up to £2,500 if caught illegally selling the products to under 18s.

Trading Standards officers recorded the response of various retailers when approached by minors attempting to purchase the vapes,.

Some actively refused to sell the goods, while others proceeded with the transaction, prompting an investigation.

Trading Standards carried out test purchases in five areas across Cumbria

The council targeted five main areas over a ten-day period with 100% of Whitehaven's tested retailers refusing sale, followed by Carlisle and Wigton, where 92% of transactions were refused.

In Workington, 62% of sales were cancelled, but Maryport was considered the lowest for compliance.

The council said some vapes appealed to under-18s due to their flavours and bright colours, but the products were highly addictive and prompted youngsters to take up smoking.

Warning issued

Colin Cox, director of public health and communities at Cumberland Council, said it was "ensuring" businesses remain on the right side of the law.

"Our trading standards officers work proactively with local businesses to ensure they have the appropriate training and test purchasing logs in place and that they're aware of the law.

"It is a criminal offence to sell nicotine-based e-cigarettes to under-18s and investigations will continue into the people and businesses who sold the products to our underage volunteers."

He praised members of the public - including parents - for raising concerns.

"We have run multiple test purchasing operations during the summer holidays and we will continue to work with businesses... and to hold repeated rule breakers accountable."

It comes just weeks after enforcement officers found a number of retailers wrongly selling disposable vapes to under-18s in Workington.

They found three out of eight shops had sold the products, also known as e-cigarettes, to minors.

The Local Government Association has said 1.3 million vapes are thrown away each week and wants them banned by 2024.