According to a UK report, vape sales in Scotland soared 79% in 2024, the highest in the UK. Despite the increase in enforcement actions, 40% of businesses were not affected.
According to the Daily Record on October 10, reported underage vape sales in Scotland increased by 79% in 2024, which is the highest growth in the UK.
While enforcement actions in 2023 have increased the number of vendors arrested by 132 percent over last year, two in five vendors who sell to minors still face no penalty.
The statistics come from the UK’s largest vape retailer Vape2024 underage vape sales report. Produced Club based on data provided by 138 local authorities in the UK. The figures are also consistent with reports from the UK’s Office for National Statistics (ONS), which suggest that teenage vape use is increasing.
Vape Dan Marchant, director and founder of the Club, revealed:
- “Of all the businesses caught selling vapes to minors, the average fine for 2023 was just $162 – that’s just one-fifteenth of the maximum fine of £2,500.” We found that three out of five cases of underage vape sales identified last year resulted in no fines, only warnings. Only 41 percent of businesses were found to be selling vapes to minors and were fined.”
- “We are calling for all those arrested to be fined and for this to be used as a stronger deterrent. We recognize that it is difficult for Trading Standards to carry out this difficult task with limited resources. The government has severely cut funding over the past decade, but still needs to step up efforts to crack down on unscrupulous businesses selling cigarette and vape brands to minors.”
He urged the UK government to consider implementing a retail licensing scheme for vapes. The scheme provides Trading Standards with over £50 million a year in enforcement funding, including regular procurement, testing, and stock checks to catch illegal goods that do not comply with UK laws and regulations, at no cost to the taxpayer. In addition, he called on the UK government to develop a tougher punishment system to prevent unscrupulous retailers from profiting by selling products to children.
