Illegal vapes and liquid worth more than £30k seized in St Helens

Last week, Trading Standards officers at St Helens Council seized around 1,700 illegal disposable e-cigarettes from a town centre vape shop, which cannot be named for legal reasons, along with over 900 bottles of e-liquids. 

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As vaping devices are highly regulated by the government to control the amount of nicotine present, the Trading Standards team is reported to have warned the shop back in 2022.

However, the business is reported to have continued selling non-compliant products, resulting in stock being seized from the shop. 

Vapes are regulated by the government and monitored by trading standards officers (Image: Stock)

Trading Standards warning

Following the seizure of illicit goods, St Helens Borough Council’s Trading Standards are warning retailers to ensure all disposable e-cigarettes, e-liquids and vaping devices they sell meet UK legal requirements. 

The UK legal limit on nicotine in disposable e-cigarettes is no more than two per cent (20mg/ml) and must not exceed 2ml in capacity – around 600 ‘puffs’. Additionally, these products can only be sold to people aged 18 and above. 

While regulated by the government, electronic cigarettes must also be approved by the Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency (MHRA) to ensure the nicotine present is at a safe level.

Vape shops caught selling illegal vapes to under 18s

The same town centre business is also reported to have sold a disposable e-cigarette to a 16-year-old in February 2023 when tested by Trading Standards and Merseyside Police, despite being previously advised on age-restricted products.

During that test between the council and police, 8 of the 10 shops tested sold an e-cigarette to the volunteer. One shop sold a 3,500 puff e-cigarette to the teenager. 

Councillor Kate Groucutt, Cabinet Member for Inclusive Economy, Business and Skills said: “While it is recognised that vaping and e-cigarettes are a useful tool to assist adults wanting to quit smoking, it is a concern that we have local businesses selling illegal products and that e-cigarettes are being sold to teenagers under 18.

"Our Trading Standards officers work hard to protect the public and will continue to use local intelligence to identify and take robust action against businesses that are selling illegal products.”  

A recent survey looking at attitudes and behaviours towards drinking, smoking, vaping and knives amongst 14–17-year-olds conducted on behalf of Trading Standards North West found that in St Helens one in seven young people now claim to vape regularly, while 52 per cent say they have tried vaping, but not a cigarette.

The survey indicates that 71 per cent of the young people who vape use disposable e-cigarettes and 40 per cent purchase from a shop. The survey concludes that smoking levels in this age group are at the lowest level, at only five per cent.