Kent County Council to step up crackdown on illegal e-cigarette sales

Kent County Council in the UK plans to launch a two-year program this autumn to crack down on illegal retailers selling e-cigarettes to minors. The move comes as data shows an upward trend in e-cigarette use among young people.

Breaking news, August 31: Kent County Council in the UK plans to launch a two-year program this autumn to crack down on illegal retailers selling e-cigarettes to minors. The move comes as data shows an upward trend in e-cigarette use among young people.

The program will focus on shop owners who sell e-cigarettes to people under 18 and will also educate users about the dangers of e-cigarettes. Shop owners who continue to violate the law will face legal action.

In July, Kent County Council voted to call for a complete nationwide ban on the sale of disposable e-cigarettes in the UK.

Documents from Kent County Council show that although smoking rates among young people have fallen, recent reports indicate an increase in e-cigarette use among school-age children.

Officials said they are concerned that the growing popularity of e-cigarettes could expose more young people to “a new pathway into smoking, especially because nicotine is highly addictive.”

Kent County Council documents state:

“We are funding a two-year project to develop a systematic plan to educate e-cigarette suppliers and retailers on complying with age restrictions for e-cigarette sales, provide resources and materials to support compliance, and take legal action where necessary against retailers who persist in breaking the rules.”

John Dunne, Director General of the UK Vaping Industry Association (UKVIA), said illegal, untested, and potentially deadly black-market products are flooding into the market on a large scale.

Reference:

【1】 Vaping: Kent County Council to crackdown on underage vape sales

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