Over the past few months, Liverpool City Council has closed down 15 stores that have sold illegal vapes as part of its ongoing campaign against the sale of these devices. In total, over 18,000 vapes have been seized since January 2024, which are believed to be worth around £220,000 million. The latest business that was forced to shut down due to illegal sales was King Vape on Prescot Road, which was closed just this week.
Beyond the seizure of vapes, Liverpool City Council has extended its reach to include other dangerous products that are being sold illegally. For example, Reem Shisha Lounge on Duke Street was closed down in May for allowing shisha to be smoked in an enclosed space. It is believed to be the first shisha lounge in the UK to face such action.
Although vaping can be useful in helping people quit smoking, all of the devices that were seized exceed the legal limit of 20mg per millilitre of nicotine and 600 puffs per device. Many of the seized vapes claim to offer between 3,500 and 9,000 puffs, which is far beyond the legal limit.
Professor Matt Ashton, Director of Public Health at Liverpool City Council, has praised the police team and the Alcohol, Tobacco Unit for its work, saying that they had succeeded in taking a large number of these harmful products off the streets. While genuine vaping devices continue to provide an invaluable aid to those who want to quit smoking, Ashton reminds people that they must be bought from reputable companies. Finally, he offers a stern warning to any other retailer in Liverpool that is found to be trading in illegal products.
If you notice someone selling alcohol or tobacco products illegally, you can report them to the Alcohol and Tobacco Unit, all while maintaining your anonymity. If you would like to report sales of prohibited items to underage people, the ‘Report Illegal Trading’ webpage is available on the Liverpool City Council website
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