Campaign exposes full scale of sales of e-cigarettes to children in Blackpool

Ten premises in the town were recently visited by a 15-year-old girl who attempted to buy e-cigarettes containing nicotine,  with none asking her for proof of age.

The visits were part of a test purchasing exercise, led by the council’s Trading Standards team, which resulted in a 100 per cent failure rate.

Businesses including shops, licensed venues and petrol stations were visited and could now face enforcement action.

A repeat visit will be made in the next three months and if a second failure occurs the premises could be at risk of closure.

Illegal vaping products were also seized by enforcement officers, while some vapes on sale were said to look like toys.

A recent survey by HealthWatch Blackpool found 31 per cent of young people currently vape or sometimes vape.

Coun Paula Burdess, cabinet member for public protection, said: “Not one of the 10 premises the team visited asked for proof of age.

“Businesses must do better. If they are unsure of the legislation regarding e-cigarettes, they can ask our team for help. No child should be able to walk into a shop in Blackpool and buy an age-restricted product.

“All of the premises will now be contacted by our Trading Standards team who will take the appropriate enforcement action. Repeat offenders risk having their business closed.”

Dr Arif Rajpura, director of public health at Blackpool Council, said the research carried out by Healthwatch was prompted by rising concerns over the number of young people using vapes.

He said: “We found vapes appeared to be easily accessible for children and young people, the most commonly reported ways they acquired vapes being buying them at corner shops, vape-shops and receiving vapes from friends and family.

“E-cigarettes are an age-restricted product because there is potential for users to become addicted to nicotine-containing e-cigarettes.

“Vaping is not a risk-free alternative, particularly for those who have never smoked and we do not yet know the long-term effects of vaping on health.

“I was horrified to hear the outcome of this test purchasing exercise. Some of the products purchased were definitely branded and marketed to appeal to young people, one was even in the style of a fidget toy.”

It comes after Prime Minster Rishi Sunak announced a fresh crackdown on youth vaping, saying there had been a “sharp rise in kids vaping” and he was  “shocked by reports of illicit vapes containing lead getting into the hands of school children”.