In a recent operation conducted by Liverpool City Council’s Alcohol and Tobacco Unit, along with Public Health Liverpool and Merseyside Police, 1,000 illegal vapes with a street value of £12,000 were confiscated. The operation, which took place at various locations, was part of a crackdown on the sale of counterfeit vaping products. Since April 2023, the partnership has seized 19,000 illegal vapes worth £228,000.
All inspected premises were given a warning letter regarding closure orders and their potential consequences in the event of future restocking or offences. In the Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016, clear conditions have been set out for selling vaping products. E-cigarette tanks must not exceed 2ml, limiting the number of puffs to a maximum of 600. The maximum volume of nicotine-containing e-liquid that is allowed in a refill container is 10ml. Furthermore, e-liquids available for sale must have a nicotine concentration of no more than 20mg/ml.
Councillor Harry Doyle, Cabinet Member for Culture and Public Health, emphasised the importance of removing illegal vaping products from circulation in the city as it has a detrimental effect, particularly on young people. Doyle advised smokers who opt to switch to vaping to purchase products from reputable vendors. He also warned venders involved in illegal trading of vapes, that more operations were planned, and that they should cease trading immediately.
Professor Matthew Ashton, Director of Public Health at Liverpool, stated that although vaping products were widely used by adults in England, they were still harmful as their long-term effects were yet to be determined. He urged people to buy genuine vaping products from authorised dealers rather than illegal sellers. Such products increase the risk of unwanted side effects.
Merseyside Police Sergeant Simon Newman emphasised that the sale of vaping products was strictly regulated and that the public must be protected from potential harm caused by vaping products that do not comply with regulations. Anyone who profited from the sale of counterfeit vapes cared little for the health of their customers, and thus, the police would continue to help their partners remove illegal vaping products from Merseyside and ensure those responsible were prosecuted
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