Liverpool shops shut down after illegal vapes seized

Councillor Harry Doyle (R) said thousands of illegal vapes had been seized

Eight shops have been shut down and thousands of illegal vapes have seized as part of a city-wide crackdown.

Vapes containing illegal amounts of nicotine were among items confiscated by Liverpool City Council.

The authority said shops selling illegal products faced fines and three-month closure orders.

Councillor Harry Doyle said it was "fantastic" to see the illegal products being removed from the streets.

"In many cases, these vapes have been designed with young people in mind, and there are clear health risks to these products given their illicit nature," the cabinet member for Health, Wellbeing and Culture said.

"We would urge smokers who use vapes as a means to quit smoking to buy them from reputable sellers."

The council said it was using legislation first used during the Covid-19 pandemic to close businesses engaging in anti-social behaviour, as part of a zero-tolerance approach against retailers who sold dangerous vapes.

Eight retailers had been shut down since October 2023 for selling health-damaging vapes, often to young people who were under age.

A Liverpool City Council representative said the new approach had led to thousands of illicit vapes being taken off the streets, with over 1,200 being seized from one business alone, and shops found to be selling illegal products were issued with fines and three-month closure orders.

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Many of the seized products were found to have illegal levels of nicotine or include other substances banned in legal vaping products such as colourings, caffeine and taurine.

Professor Matthew Ashton, Liverpool's Director of Public Health, said: "The risks that illicit vapes pose to health is clear, with many of them including ingredients that are unregulated.

"Legal vapes continue to be the most popular and effective smoking aid used by smokers trying to quit.

"While many choose to use them, it is important for people to be mindful of where they buy their vapes to ensure they meet the appropriate requirements.

"Our guidance continues to be that if you smoke, vaping is safer. If you don't smoke - don't vape."