The UK Vaping Industry Association (UKVIA), the largest trade body representing the vaping industry, has renewed its call for a series of tough measures to crack down on unscrupulous retailers selling vaping to young people, including a £10,000 fine and a national retail licensing scheme.

A survey by Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) found that the proportion of children aged 11-17 who use e-cigarettes has risen from 4% in 2020 to 7% this year. It also found that single-use e-cigarettes were the most popular product among 52 percent of underage e-cigarette users.

In response to the report, UKVIA Director-General John Dunne said: "UKVIA understands the need to strike the right balance between supporting adult smokers to quit while not encouraging under-18s and never-smokers.

"We wrote to the Department of Health and Social Care last week to address children's exposure to vaping with a range of recommendations to crack down on those who sell vaping to minors, while keeping vaping in its place in helping smokers quit smoking key role.”

Its recommendations include:

Introduce a licensed or approved retailer and distributor program in which e-cigarette retailers (online and in-store) and distributors will pay fees, adhere to strict age verification practices, and promise to receive medicines for the products they sell Notified and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and compliant with Classification, Labeling and Packaging (CLP) regulations.

Fines of at least £10,000 per transaction are imposed on traders who ignore UK law. If fined twice, the retailer will lose its Approved Retailer status.

Commission a national test procurement scheme similar to what UKVIA runs for its members to ensure all operations are held to a high standard when it comes to preventing youth exposure to vaping.

Ensure trade standards are effectively resourced so that it can recruit and train officials to deal with illicit products, and ensure its actions are effective in deterring rogue actors throughout the supply chain. Such funding will come from proposed licensing schemes and ultimately from fines for illegal transactions.

Incorporate UKVIA's packaging, labelling and flavour name guidelines into legislation to prevent brands that inadvertently appeal to non-smokers or people under 18. These guidelines reflect recommendations from Khan's comments.

Introducing nicotine-free e-liquids into the Tobacco and Related Products Regulation (TRPR). Regulating all e-liquids in this way would further reduce teen access and improve the quality of the products sold.

"Overall, these actions will help fulfill the important role of the recently published Khan Commentary that the category makes smoking obsolete in the most responsible way," continued John Dunn.

He added: "Our members are committed to strict supply chain and packaging, labelling and flavour designation guidelines, but more needs to be done to crack down on rogue traders outside of our members who are ignoring the law with little regard for the sale of e-cigarettes to minors. Do not hesitate.

“There is no doubt that the problem of young people’s exposure to e-cigarettes has always been with unscrupulous traders who are happy to sell products to children. In order to deal with the increasing number of children vaping, it is necessary to cut off the e-cigarettes to minors at the source. Cigarette supply."

"However, industry, regulators, education and law enforcement play an important role in ensuring that vaping does not fall into the wrong hands."

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