£50,000 of illegal vapes seized across borough

MORE than 5,000 illegal vapes — with an estimated retail value of £50,000 — have been seized across the borough after council officers found 19 out of 20 premises they visited had “non-compliant” products on sale.

Police and trading standards officers are cracking down on illegal vapes as part of an ongoing response to tackle public health concerns.

Vapes are regulated in the UK to ensure they meet minimum safety and quality standards, but many seized locally failed to meet requirements by containing higher concentration of nicotine levels — some up to ten times the legal limit.

A spokesperson for Rotherham Council said e-cigarettes were currently the most popular method used to help quit smoking in England and vaping was considerably less harmful than smoking tobacco but young people “should not smoke or vape due to the risks to their health.

RMBC’s cabinet member for adult social care and public health, Cllr David Roche, said: “Whilst many people use vaping as a legitimate means to stop smoking, there is a potential risk that these particular products could become more desirable to a younger audience, resulting in a higher number of people inhaling larger quantities of nicotine.”

Anyone wanting to choose a vape that meets safety requirements or advice on how to safely use e-cigarettes to quit smoking, can find free support through Get Healthy Rotherham at www.gethealthyrotherham.co.uk.