UK Vape Association Launches Underage Vape Sales Prevention Guide

Released in the form of a webinar and a pdf, the UK Vaping Industry Association’s Primary Authority Advice, tackles one of the main challenges that the vaping industry faces worldwide: preventing e-cig sales to minors. The guide aims to assist vaping retailers firstly by underlining the importance of restricting sales to minors, and secondly, by offering practical tips of doing so.

Any vape business owners, as well as shop staff members caught selling to a minor, may incur a fine of up to £2,500. Retailers must prove that they have taken all reasonable precautions and exercised all due diligence to avoid the sale of vape products to minors, and this means following all steps included in this guide. The guide highlights that there are different regulations in place for the sale of vaping products in England, Wales and Scotland.

Nicotine is known to be addictive, and reports have indicated that it may have damaging effects in young people, whose brains are still developing. “If young people are denied access to vaping products at the point of sale, then it significantly reduces the availability of these products to under- age persons.”

Only adults seeking to quit smoking should be using vapes

In line with arguments by public health experts and tobacco harm reduction experts form around the world, the guide highlights once again that the only people purchasing vaping products should be adults, and that the industry must do its best to earn the public’s and authorities’ trust.

“The vaping industry has a responsibility to prevent irresponsible retailing practices and ensure that vaping remains for adults only. Policy makers, politicians and consumers must be able to have confidence that the vaping industry is a responsible sector. This will be undermined if businesses do not implement and uphold robust age verification processes.”

UK Tobacco Firms Warned to Pick Cigarette Butts or Face Harsher Laws