Trading Standards officers target Barrow for under age vape sales

Furness Academy said a ‘number of children’ have required medical attention after taking ‘eddies’.

Symptoms have included fast heart rate, increase in body temperature, struggling to speak properly and pains in legs/hands.

Cannabis sweets (Image: Submitted)

A message shared by assistant headteacher Linzi Stanway said: “It has come to our attention that there has been an influx of illegal vapes, THC vapes and THC sweets ‘eddies’ in the Barrow area. A number of children across Westmorland and Furness have required medical attention after taking ‘eddies’, in effect cannabis sweets.”

It comes as trading standard offices targeted Barrow businesses in a bid to reduce the sale of E-cigarette or 'vape' products to under 18s.

Acting on intelligence from concerned parents, schools, and members of the public, the officers from Westmorland and Furness Council visited seven premises and found six retailers who refused to sell E-Cigarettes to the underage test purchaser.

The school’s message added: “Vapes are sold in a number of puffs. The legal maximum is 600 puffs in the UK. There are a number of apes around that have 10,000 puffs. These are not regulated and children will have no way of knowing what ingredients they contain. These are being offered to children via Snapchat for £10.”

Strict laws on nicotine vaping products are in place so that young people cannot purchase them. It is a criminal offence to sell them to persons under the age of 18 years, or purchase them on behalf of under 18s.  

Traders found breaking these rules risk being prosecuted, and a possible maximum £2,500 fine.

Vaping is acknowledged as an important tool for quitting smoking; however, concerns remain about the illegal sale of vaping products to anyone under age.

Disposable vapes are appealing to young people due to their flavours and bright colours, along with prices between £4 and £8. E-cigarettes contain nicotine which is highly addictive and young people who use these them may be encouraged to take up smoking in the future.

Cllr Neil Hughes, cabinet member for Transport and Environmental Services, said: “Our trading standards officers will now be advising the retailer who failed the test purchase to ensure they do not sell any further products containing nicotine to under-18s. If the trader fails to take onboard the advice, they could face enforcement action.

"Further trading standards test purchasing operations will be carried out in the coming months and we’ll do everything we can to keep these products out of the hands of young people in Westmorland and Furness."

The latest data from the ASH-Youth 2022 survey of 11- to 18-year-olds in England show that:

Current vaping prevalence (including occasional and regular vaping) was almost 9% in 2022, compared with 4% in 2021 and just under 5% per cent in 2020.

The use of disposable vaping products has increased substantially with 52% of current vapers using them in 2022, compared with almost 8% per cent in 2021 and 5% per cent in 2020. Trading Standards have also seen a steep increase in harmful, non-compliant products on sale in shops and strongly support government proposals to crack down on the sales of e-cigarettes to under 18s. This includes preventing advertisers targeting children and not allowing retailers to give free samples of vapes to children.

Cllr Patricia Bell, Cabinet Member for Adults, Health and Care, said: "Vaping can be very damaging to young people's health. The major issue is young people who do not already smoke taking up vaping. This can lead to them potentially forming a habit that could be massively damaging to their health. The other concern is the high level of nicotine that can be delivered by vaping devices.

"Thankfully, most businesses comply with the law and we’re very grateful to them for helping us protect our young people from taking up this harmful habit. Sadly there are always a small number who break the law and we will not hesitate to prosecute anyone found selling vaping products to anyone under the age of 18.”

To report underage sales of vaping products, or if you are a retailer seeking clarification of the law, contact Trading Standards via the Citizens Advice Consumer Helpline on 0808 223 1133 or visit www.adviceguide.org.uk.