Trade leaders are elevating considerations on current on-the-spot fines for unlawful vape gross sales, as they appear inadequate to curb the quickly rising black market. In line with new information, over £9 million price of unlawful vapes had been seized throughout the UK in 2024 alone—a 44% enhance from the earlier yr. This determine represents practically half of the £21 million price of unlawful vapes confiscated since 2020, with two unlawful vapes seized each minute on common final yr.
Compiled in the 2025 Unlawful Vapes Report by Vape Membership, by means of Freedom of Data (FOI) requests to 108 native authorities, the findings spotlight the pressing want for stronger regulatory measures. The report reveals that Britain’s main ports and airports are key entry factors for unlawful vape merchandise.
Essex Sees Unprecedented 14,000% Surge in Unlawful Vape Seizures
Essex County Council, which oversees a number of worldwide sea ports, together with Heathrow and Glasgow Airports, accounted for over one-third of the nation’s complete unlawful vape seizures final yr. The mixed complete from these places was practically 3 times greater than in 2023, highlighting a worrying escalation in unlawful imports.
Extra particularly, Essex has skilled a 14,000% enhance in unlawful vape seizures over the previous yr, making it the largest hotspot for unlawful vapes outdoors the London Borough of Hillingdon. London accounted for 47% of all unlawful vapes seized in England. Newport in Wales contributed 70% of the nation’s complete unlawful vape seizures, whereas Renfrewshire Council in Scotland, house to Glasgow Airport, reported 3,814 seizures—the best within the nation.
Existant penalties are ineffective
Regardless of the surge in unlawful vape seizures, enforcement stays weak. Only one in 10 recognized circumstances resulted in fines or penalties in 2024, with complete fines amounting to simply £48,062—£20,000 lower than the earlier yr. These figures counsel that current monetary penalties fail to discourage these engaged within the unlawful commerce.
Whereas fines stay low, authorities have made progress in shutting down non-compliant companies. In 2024, 108 retailers acquired premises closure orders associated to unlawful vape gross sales—greater than double the quantity issued in 2023. Nonetheless, consultants argue that these actions fall in need of addressing the size of the issue.
Trade leaders argue that insufficient enforcement and restricted penalties are on the coronary heart of the unlawful vape disaster. With the upcoming ban on disposable vapes, considerations are rising that the UK will face an inflow of unregulated and probably harmful merchandise if authorities fail to deal with the basis causes.
Vape Retailer and Distributor Licensing scheme to curb unlawful gross sales
Dan Marchant, Director of Vape Membership, emphasizes the necessity for a complete licensing framework for vape retailers and distributors. This method, he suggests, would be sure that income from licensing charges is ringfenced to help proactive enforcement. Such funding might improve Border Drive capabilities to forestall unlawful merchandise from getting into the nation and empower Buying and selling Requirements to take stronger motion towards rogue retailers.
Consistent with Marchant’s perspective, organizations just like the UK Vaping Trade Affiliation (UKVIA) have lengthy advocated for a licensing system for vape retailers. In response, final November the reintroduced Tobacco and Vapes Invoice proposed a brand new licensing framework for companies promoting tobacco, vape, and nicotine merchandise. The laws additionally launched a direct £200 positive for retailers discovered promoting these merchandise to underage clients.
“The sudden rise in smoking charges ought to be ringing alarm bells within the authorities, and while they’re debating the Tobacco and Vapes invoice, this could function a stark wake-up name to not throw the newborn out with the bathwater relating to vape regulation. It’s extra very important than ever that the fitting steadiness is discovered between sustaining the effectiveness of the one finest smoking cessation product available on the market and stopping youth entry. We sincerely hope that MPs and regulators will have interaction meaningfully with the vape business to seek out this steadiness, together with a severe consideration of our Vape Retailer and Distribution Licensing scheme, which might present greater than £50 million in funding for Buying and selling Requirements, yearly,” Marchant advised Vaping Publish.
With out pressing regulatory reform and devoted sources, consultants warn that the unlawful vape market will proceed to thrive, posing dangers to public well being and client security throughout the UK. Ben Johnson, founding father of Riot Labs and the Riot Activist initiative, emphasised {that a} self-funded licensing framework would permit for higher enforcement whereas sustaining entry to authorized vape merchandise. He criticized the federal government’s present stance, stating that failure to implement efficient laws dangers fueling the black market and undermining efforts to assist grownup people who smoke give up.
The best way to spot an unlawful vape
Dan Marchant went on to focus on the general public well being dangers related to unlawful vapes. He warned that unregulated merchandise with extreme nicotine ranges and contaminated components pose severe well being dangers to customers. Marchant burdened the necessity for the federal government to re-evaluate its present technique and take into account the proposed licensing framework to handle youth vaping considerations with out penalizing grownup people who smoke in search of safer options.
In the meantime Riot Activist is advising customers to be cautious and look ahead to the next warning indicators of unlawful vapes:
- Tank measurement exceeding 2ml (the authorized restrict).
- Nicotine power greater than 20mg/ml.
- Lacking or incorrect well being warnings.
- Poor-quality packaging with low-resolution photographs or unclear labeling.
- No UK deal with or labeling in overseas languages.
- Lack of correct security checks and lacking ingredient lists.
UK: Considerations About The Circulation of Illicit Excessive-Energy Nicotine Vapes
