Scottish vape retailer VPZ warned that a “large number” of vape devices are flooding into the UK market due to loopholes in regulations to circumvent the ban, and if no action is taken, it could affect more teenagers and lead to more retailers breaking the rules in the next two years.
Key points:
1. Scottish vape retailer VPZ has warned that a “large number” of vape devices are designed to circumvent the upcoming ban on single-use vapes in June by being rechargeable and refillable.
2. The amount of smoke oil in these devices far exceeds the legal limit, and the internal use of non-replaceable coils is no different from disposable products. The UK market has been flooded in the last six months.
UK vaping retailers: ‘Big Gulp’ Vape sales on the rise
According to the Daily Record on March 13, VPZ. Scottish vape retailer in the United Kingdom warned that the “Big Puff” vape device is growing dramatically, and this vape will be able to circumvent the single-use vape ban in June.
Greig Fowler, director of operations at VPZ, said “Big Puff” vape products, which can carry up to six times more vaping fluid than the average single-use product, had flooded the UK market in the past six months due to a “grey area” in regulations. Rechargeable and refillable designs are added on the surface to circumvent the relevant regulations. Although these devices have a longer service life and are equipped with sockets, they still use non-replaceable coils inside, which are no different from disposable products.
May weaken effect of disposable e-cigarette ban
Fowler noted that while UK health regulators approve new devices every week, some devices have vaping fluid capacities of up to 12 milliliters or more, far exceeding the legal limit of 2 milliliters for single-use vapes.
- “We are probably the most unpopular company in the vape industry right now because we are the only professional vape store that refuses to sell ‘Big Mouth’ disposable devices.” This is a huge step backward for the industry.”
He said overseas vape devices were barely regulated when they were registered with the UK Medicines and Health Food Regulatory Agency (MHRA), and the popularity of such “large quantity” vapes has risen rapidly since the UK’s upcoming single-use vape ban in 2024.
In the UK, about 3 million “big mouth” vape devices are sold every week, and about 5 million single-use vapes are sold. VPZ stressed that if nothing is done, these “grey areas” could affect more teenagers in the next two years, and could also allow more irresponsible retailers to break the law. The UK’s Tobacco and vape Bill is still under review, but any significant changes could take 18 to 24 months, not until 2027.
Gillian Mackay, health spokeswoman for the Scottish Green Party, said the single-use vape ban was an important step for public health, but the impact of the ban could be undermined by “large numbers” of vape devices.
