The investigation in Carmarthenshire. Wales, UK, found that a teenager successfully bought vapes eight times out of 66 venues, online purchase tests showed that all sites rejected the transaction, and the investigation also found that some venues had illegal high-nicotine vapes.
Key points:
1. Out of 66 establishments in Carmarthenshire. In Wales, eight are illegally selling vapes to young people, while the rest comply with the law.
2. All 12 websites refused to allow teenagers to buy vapes.
3. Illegal high-nicotine vapes were found in some places, and Wales plans to implement one-time vapesupply control in June.
Most businesses comply with regulations, 8 sell in violation
According to a report by Nation. Cymru on March 18, a teenager in Carmarthenshire. Wales, UK, tried to buy electronic cigarettes in a Trading Standards Agency investigation, and the result was available in eight places. The businesses involved have received formal written warnings.
The teenager, secretly supervised by Trading Standards officers, tried to buy vapes at 66 premises between October 2024 and January 2025. The vast majority of which complied with the law.
The online test purchase was carried out by a 13-year-old under supervision as they tried to buy vapes from 12 websites in Carmarthenshire. All sites rejected the transaction, either at the time of ordering or after the order was canceled due to the inability to verify the buyer’s age.
The second focus of the investigation was illegal vapes containing excessive amounts of nicotine and suspected illegal vapes were found in two of them.
The UK’s National Health Service (NHS) says vapes are not risk-free and addictive. Not recommended for children and adults who have never smoked.
Several lawmakers pointed out that discarded vapes are becoming a growing waste problem. Wales will introduce controls on the supply of single-use vapes in June.
