Children as young as 13 can illegally buy e-cigarettes as vaping stores openly flout law to make quick sales
Nearly a THIRD of shops we asked under-18s to visit were happy to make no-questions-asked sales
CHILDREN as young as 13 can illegally buy e-cigarettes from vaping stores, a Sun investigation has found.
Nearly a THIRD of shops we asked under-18s to visit were happy to make no-questions-asked sales — and one even invited our youngest tester to try out the kit first.
Nine out of 28 shops visited were willing to sell to schoolgirls and boys. The shopkeepers were last night branded “totally irresponsible” by experts.
Our probe follows a Trading Standards report by Sandwell Council this month that revealed 90 per cent of stores in the West Midlands area had sold vaping gear to youths under the legal age of 18.
University of Stirling professor of health policy Linda Bauld, who also works for Cancer Research UK, said: “The Sun’s findings are extremely concerning. Any shops willing to sell these products to under-18s are openly flouting the law. It’s shocking, and totally irresponsible.
"While vaping is not as physically damaging as smoking, the oils can sometimes contain formaldehyde or heavy metals which are not good for developing lungs, and could contribute to respiratory conditions.”
A Department of Health spokesman added: “This is not good enough. We have been very clear that retailers have a duty to make sure e-cigarettes are not sold to children.”
Since October 2015 in England and Wales it has been illegal for retailers to sell e-cig devices, with or without nicotine included, or e-liquids which contain nicotine to someone under 18.
A child who buys or tries to buy e-cigs is not committing a crime, but there is a maximum fine of £2,500 for selling the products to minors.
Despite this, every one of our youngsters, aged between 13 and 17, was able to buy an e-cigarette at their local shops, almost always paired with a nicotine oil. Here is what happened ...
Barnsley: Andorra, 13
BABY-FACED Andorra Coldwell-Hall bought an Aspire GS Ego e-cigarette from her town’s eVapeoutlet shop – and even got a lesson in how to use it.
After showing her their range of products, the staffer gave her the tips, and even offered to let her test the gadget before making the £25 purchase.
Andorra said: “He was very helpful and even asked if I wanted to try it in the shop.” She also bought non-nicotine Skittles-flavour e-liquid to go into the device – which is legal to sell to under-18s.
The shop manager declined to comment. Nine other stores in the South Yorkshire town asked for ID then turned the teen away.
Birmingham: Janay, 14
JANAY ROSE-KNIGHT was served in two different local shops. At TABlites she spent £26.99 on Cyclone V4 e-cig and 10ml of nicotine liquid.
At Moon Vapez she bought a SMOK Stick One Plus e-cig for £30. She said: “At TABlites I asked for a vapour starter kit and straight away the guy asked me what colour I wanted. In Moon Vapez the staff were really friendly.”
A TABlites representative said: “Thank you for bringing this isolated incident to our attention so we can investigate further as a matter of urgency.”
Moon Vapez owner Zee Mustafa said: “There is no clarity from the Government on exactly what is an e-cig and what isn’t. If the lady had asked for a nicotine product we would have asked for an ID.”
Another store refused to serve her without ID.
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London: Leah, 15
LEAH PENNISI-GLASER visited V-Revolution in Covent Garden, in the city’s centre, and bought an Innokin e-cig and 6ml of coffee-flavoured nicotine liquid for £25.
Staff asked what flavour liquid she wanted and how much of it she would like – but never for identification to prove she was of a legal age.
Leah said: “They asked me, ‘Have you smoked this type before?’ They said there was a new way to charge this model, but nothing else. Age didn’t come up.
“I wasn’t surprised, because I know how easy it is, a lot of my friends smoke vapes.” Store manager Joanna said: “I’m really shocked because we are quite strict about ID.
“I’m going to ask my staff to check everyone’s ID from now on.”
Leah tried another three places in the capital but all turned her away as she had no ID.
Sheffield: Lucas, 16
LUCAS SHIPTON bought e-cigarettes in four different stores.
In Veeno’s he got an Ego CE4 650mAh gadget with 10ml of tutti frutti nicotine liquid for £10.48.
At Humphrey’s he bought a Nicolites disposable e-cig, which contains nicotine, for £19.02.
In Asian Local he bought a Lite by iBreathe e-cig for £14.99, and at African and Caribbean Foods on Chesterfield Rd he got an Evo 650 one for £7.
Lucas said: “At Veeno’s the staff member said, ‘You’re not 18 are you?’ Then when I said I was 16, he said, ‘Just for you’ and sold me the item.” Another five shops refused to sell to him.
Veeno’s staffer Ali Omar said: “I thought it was OK to sell the vape fluids to 16-year-olds.” Asian Local manager Salah Mabo said: “We usually always ask for ID. Maybe he got away with it because he looked older.” Humphry’s and African and Caribbean Foods declined to comment.
Bristol: Danny, 17
SHOCKED Danny Ray had no problems buying an Evod Infinity Vapour e-gig and 18ml of nicotine liquid from Switch XPress on Filton Road.
Danny, who spent £19 on his purchases, said: “I went in and asked what I should get as a beginner.
“He talked me through some options and then I bought the liquid and e-cig. He didn’t once ask if I was 18 or if I had ID.”
Store employee Lianne Holland said: “We normally ask for proof of age if somebody looks underage.”
Another shop refused to sell to him without ID.
Vaping cannot become cool, By Carol Cooper, Sun Doctor
I’M very concerned about retailers flouting the law on vaping materials.
If it’s this easy for under-18s to obtain e-cigs, one can probably expect vaping to become much more widespread. You have only to look at vaping liquids to realise how attractive they are to youngsters.
Coming in flavours like Skittles, soft drinks and fruit, teenagers are bound to think they’re pretty harmless.
E-cigs are much less noxious than cigarettes because there’s no smoke or tar. But that doesn’t make them completely innocent. Research suggests that young brains are very sensitive to the effects of nicotine. It is also addictive stuff, and regular nicotine use before adulthood can quickly lead to life-long dependence.
There are also concerns about trace elements such as copper, nickel and zinc which can be found in some vaping liquids. These too might be harmful, especially to young brains.
But my main concern is that vaping will be seen as sophisticated and desirable, just as smoking once was.