Thousands of Illegal Vapes Seized as Problem Snowballing in Bristol and Beyond

Bristol: Thousands of illegal vapes are being seized. Councils are on a mission to tackle this growing issue. E-cigarettes are often non-compliant for various reasons. Some exceed the maximum tank size, while others lack proper labeling or contain banned ingredients.

Bristol City Council started seizing illegal vapes back in 2022. They confiscated 1,619 that year. But guess what? That number skyrocketed to 13,052 in 2023! Last year, they took 10,389 vapes off the streets.

Raids have also increased. The council went from one raid in 2021 to 15 last year. The biggest illegal vape they found had a whopping 25,000 puffs! Legal vapes can only have a 2ml tank, but they’ve seized some with 30ml and even 20ml.

The Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) has raised concerns. They say there’s no clear health risk from non-compliant vapes, but the true contents are unknown. So, it’s best to avoid them. They estimate that about one in three vape products might not meet the rules.

CTSI is calling for urgent support from the government. They’re worried about the rising number of non-compliant vapes and underage sales. South Gloucestershire Council started seizing illegal vapes a year before Bristol. They took 3,299 in 2021, but that number dropped to 1,312 in 2022. However, it jumped back up to 4,232 in 2023.

A spokesperson from South Gloucestershire Council said they monitor the market to ensure only safe products are sold. They’ve seized over 10,700 illegal vapes worth more than £107,000 in four years.

While vaping is safer than smoking, it’s not without risks. There are laws to regulate these products, and responsible retailers follow them. Those who don’t can expect a visit from Trading Standards.

North Somerset Council also got in on the action. They seized 265 illegal vapes in 2021, but that number dropped to 114 in 2022. Then, it shot up to 988 in 2023 and 1,372 in 2024. Their raids have increased too, from one in 2021 to nine last year.

The largest illegal vape they found had 11,000 puffs. In November 2023, the government announced that over 2 million illegal vapes had been seized across England from 2022 to 2023. It’s clear this issue is getting serious, and councils are stepping up to tackle it.