Oxfordshire County Council Trading Standards is warning the public about the dangers of illegal, disposable e-cigarettes after discovering them on sale in the county.
Officers seized the products from 13 stores in the Cherwell area after becoming aware that disposable e-cigarettes with a nicotine content of five per cent were being sold throughout the county. Nicotine inhaling products containing more than two per cent nicotine are illegal to sell as they do not comply with UK safety requirements.
Reports have also been received from concerned parents about the apparent use of the devices by children who are not old enough to legally purchase them. There is a possiblility that parents may not be able to recognise them as e-cigarettes.
Jody Kerman, Oxfordshire County Council’s Head of Trading Standards, said: “There is a requirement on the manufacturers to get disposable e-cigarettes approved by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency prior to them being offered for sale. There are strict labelling guidelines for these products including, amongst others, providing a UK based point of contact for the company, which was not the case with the seized items.
“We have removed hundreds of illegal, disposable e-cigarettes from stores and are now working with retailers to ensure that any devices they do stock in future are legally compliant. If you want to support the detection work already being done by Cherwell District Council’s community wardens and Trading Standards please contact us.”
Councillor Neil Fawcett, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Community Services and Safety, said: “This detection work is essential in protecting anyone who vapes from the dangers of illegal e-cigarettes. We understand that vaping can be a useful tool in assisting people to quit smoking. But it is unacceptable that vapers are unknowingly risking their health by using these illegal nicotine-intensive products.”
Councillor Andrew McHugh, Cherwell District Council’s Lead Member for Health and Wellbeing, said: “Our community wardens have been working closely with Oxfordshire County Council’s trading standards team in tracking down and preventing the sale of illegal, disposable e-cigarettes. It’s essential work; protecting anyone who vapes from the dangers of these illegal nicotine-intensive products. For those who vape our message is simple – if the box indicates the nicotine content is over two per cent, don’t buy it.”
