Salford shop raided and 77,000 'unsafe' vapes seized

A Salford shop has had 77,000 ‘unsafe’ illegal vapes seized in a raid this weekend.

The Broughton store, which has not been identified, was targeted by Salford City Council, who found goods worth an estimated £1.2m.

The raid is thought to be one of the biggest hauls not just in Salford but within the UK.

The council said the products were “unsafe” as well as being counterfeit and they will continue to act against anyone in breach of trading laws.

Exact details of the goods have not yet been announced, it is believed that they exceed the legal limit of around 600 puffs, and a nicotine strength of 20mg/ml per unit.

The E-cigarettes seized have been linked to ongoing financial investigations and this was the 13th raid this year.

E-cigarettes and vapes in the UK

ash.org.uk

The proportion of the adult population using e-cigarettes has increased to 7.1% (in 2021)

15% of 18 year-old survey respondents used e-cigarettes, and instances of under 18s using them were highlighted

lordslibrary.parliament.uk

Most e-cigarettes and vapes contain nicotine, and are therefore still addictive

Vaping can reduce the function of the lungs via disturbance of gas exchange and tissue inflammation

Nicotine exposure can also impact brain development, contributing to cognitive and attention deficit conditions, and mental health effects

A study found that e-cigarette use was increasingly associated with gum disease and users are increasingly reporting oral health problems

lordslibrary.parliament.uk

Legal requirements for e-cigarettes in the UK-

10ml

20mg/ml

2ml

The maximum volume of nicotine in a refil container is

E-liquids must have a nicotine strength of no more than

Nicotine-containing products and packaging must be child-resistant and tamper evident

Tanks must have a capacity of less than

There is a ban of certain ingredients including colourings, caffeine and taurine

New labelling requirements and warnings on all packaging

All e-cigarettes and e-liquids must be notified and publid by the MHRA before sale

From gov.uk

A spokesman for Salford City Council said: “Switching to vaping can help some smokers quit completely but we strongly discourage any non-smokers from taking up vaping, particularly young people.”

Vaping has become substantially more popular as an alternative to smoking, however they have not been around long enough for any conclusive studies on the health impact.

However, research from the British Medical Journal suggests vaping is “less harmful than smoking” but those who have never smoked should not take up vaping “thinking it is safe”.

Vaping products are in the top ten most investigated products according to last years figures released by the trading standards authority, with the most investigated products being cigarettes and Tobacco.

Information on anyone selling illegal vapes can be reported via Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 0808 223 1133.