Vaping and e-cigarettes: Rules about to get stricter in government crackdown

The government wants to crackdown on shops that target young people with vaping products

Rules around vapes are about to change, in a move that is hoped to stop young people from buying and using them.

It's against the law to sell vapes to under-18s, but a loophole currently means that shop owners are allowed to give out free samples to children without getting in trouble.

This is what the UK government wants to stop, with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak saying this targeting of children and teenagers is "unacceptable".

Vapes are used as an alternative to cigarettes, but aren't completely good for you say the NHS

There will also be a review into the rules around selling 'nicotine-free' products to under-18s, as well as into fines issued for shops selling illicit vapes.

This comes after a consultation was launched earlier this year to come up with ideas to stop children vaping.

The Labour party however have said that this "baby step" doesn't go far enough, and if they were in charge, they'd come down "like a tonne of bricks" on shops trying to sell vaping products to children.

What are vapes?

Vaping has become incredibly popular

Vapes, which are also known as electronic or e-cigarettes, are small devices which hold a liquid containing nicotine, in addition to a number of chemicals.

Nicotine is an addictive substance found in tobacco, which is used in cigarettes.

This liquid heats up creating a vapour, which is inhaled by the person using it.

They're seen as a good alternative to cigarettes for those looking to quit, but the NHS say they're not completely safe, and can contribute to nicotine addictions.

What's the law now?

While it's illegal to sell vapes to under-18s, similar devices that don't contain nicotine can be sold to people of any age.

It's also currently not against the law to give out free samples of vapes with nicotine in them to children and teens.

According to the campaign group Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), in the last year, around 20,000 kids in the UK were given a free vape.

The colours, flavours and price of vapes are all seen as things that could be very attractive to young people thinking of buying them

What does the government want to change?

The government's proposed stricter rules will mean vape samples will no longer be able to be given out for free to teens, and punishments will be able to be given on the spot if shop owners are seen selling vapes to underage children.

Pupils will also be taught about the health risks of vaping and a resource pack for schools on vaping is being developed, which will be rolled out online in July.

What have people said?

The Prime Minister said he was "deeply concerned" about an increase in children vaping.

"The marketing and the illegal sales of vapes to children is completely unacceptable and I will do everything in my power to end this practice for good," he said.

But Labour's shadow health secretary Wes Streeting said the new plans don't go far enough: "We have to act now to stop a new generation of kids getting hooked on nicotine."

A consultation was launched earlier this year to gather ideas to stop kids vaping

The Chartered Trading Institute oversees trading standards in the UK - which means it makes sure businesses and people trade fairly and safely.

It said it welcomes the government's announcement, and that the measures "were necessary", but more needs to be done.

A spokesperson said: "In addition to reducing the accessibility of vaping we also want to ensure that vaping becomes less attractive to non-smoking young people".