‘Hard core’ expected to ignore single-use vape ban

Leicester Trading Standards has said it is gearing up to tackle a “hard core” of businesses it expects will flout an incoming ban on single-use vapes.

Trading Standards said it had written to almost a thousand businesses in the city ahead of a ban on buying and selling disposable vapes from 1 June to advise them of the new rules.

But team manager Ron Ruddock said these only represent “the tip of the iceberg” of places which currently sell vapes and “we’re also likely to have a hard core that probably won’t comply”.

He said officers will act on “intel” after the change in the law to focus on those “most likely to be mis-selling”.

Only devices considered to be reusable will be legal from Sunday – they must have a rechargeable battery, a replaceable coil and be refillable.

Businesses or individuals that continue to supply, offer to supply, or have in their possession to supply single-use vapes from June, could face an unlimited fine and a prison sentence of up to two years.

The UK government wants to reduce the impact on the environment – an estimated five million disposable vapes were thrown away every week last year – and cut the number of children and young people vaping.

Health experts agree anyone who does not smoke should not start vaping, as it may cause long-term damage to lungs, hearts and brains.

Mr Ruddock said: “In many ways it’s not a massive change, but in terms of enforcement it’s a lot of work – it will take a lot of resource to police it.”

He said: “There’s such a broad spectrum of sellers, we don’t know every store that sells vapes, but what we’ve done is put together a list of almost a thousand businesses that we recognise as selling vapes or likely to sell vapes and then we’ve sent them out a package of information.”

Mr Ruddock said a number of shops were reducing their prices to clear stock ahead of the ban.

After then the “whole team” will begin the task of ensuring businesses comply, working with Leicestershire Police and other officers within the city council.

He said: “I think we’ll get compliance amongst a broad sector of the business community but we’re also likely to have a sort of a hard core that probably won’t.

“We cannot visit every single premise that may or may not be selling vapes but I think we will focus our efforts on those that are most likely to be selling and perhaps mis-selling.”