THE UK’S leading vape retailer, VPZ lobbied outside the Scottish Parliament building today, to highlight concerns around supersize disposable vapes.
The company is warning against the dangers of unregulated products known as “big puff” vapes, which contain six times the legal amount of vape juice and are marketed as reusable.
The products are available due to a loophole in legislation, which VPZ is urging the government to amend.
Volunteers and VPZ staff gathered outside Holyrood to protest against youth uptake in supersize vapes and the significant harm they cause to the environment.
It will be illegal for retailers to sell single-use vapes from June this year, a decision that VPZ campaigned heavily for.
Now, they are asking the government to reconsider their Tobacco and Vapes Bill to include increased regulations surrounding vape devices.
It is legal in the UK for vapes to have a 2ml capacity, sold alongside 10ml bottles of liquid.
Supersize or “big puff” vapes combine these two items, allowing a 10ml bottle to be added to a normal vape and therefore making it way over the legal limit – this is called a “two plus ten”.
These vapes are marketed as rechargeable, though the size of their batteries means they have been reported to run out quickly, and are therefore thrown away frequently.
In addition, imported vapes do not currently go through the same rigorous testing as devices produced in the UK, meaning that it is possible for them to be laced with unknown substances.
Just last week, two teenage boys were sent to hospital after inhaling one puff of an illegal vape laced with what was suspected to be spice and THC.
At the demonstration today, Greig Fowler, group operations director at VPZ said: “What we’re seeing is instead of reducing the numbers of vapes going into the environment, it’s gone from 5 million a week to 8.5 million a week, so it’s actually worsening the problem.
“And then of course the unscrupulous retailers who sell the 2ml are now picking these up, and they’re only double the price. You can get 2ml vapes for £5 or 12ml for £10.
“That’s more likely to encourage addiction in youth, because it’s the same retailers who are selling it.
“Dr Caroline Johnson MP proposed in the amendments to the Tobacco and Vapes Bill that it would prohibit the manufacture of any device with the ability to increase the capacity above 2ml, which would have removed any ambiguity. That was unfortunately voted out at the committee stage before it made it to parliament.
“I’m pleased to announce that Jack Rankin, Conservative MP for Windsor, notified us yesterday that that has been retabled, but it will be 12-18 months before the Tobacco and Vapes Bill is implemented. What we need is action now.
“If one million kids tried vaping last year through unscrupulous retailers, does that mean another two million could be affected over the next two years?
“We want to stop the environmental waste, stop the youth uptake, and clamp down on retailers who sell the devices without any real concern.
“To be honest, I’ve been disappointed with the Scottish Government so far. I’ve sent probably six letters to date, which have championed some causes and challenged others, because as a business we pride ourselves on doing things the right way.
“We have “Challenge 25” in our stores so youth vaping doesn’t affect us – we’re doing this to bring better regulations to the vaping industry, but the Scottish parliament have passed it off by saying they will wait to see what Westminster are doing, which I think sends the wrong message.
“We have spoken to 51 MSPs individually now, and when we have explained the situation to them, every single one has agreed.
“We want an audience, and to be part of the solution rather than the problem. It is the next potential environmental disaster.”
Fowler confirmed that there has been a “good response” from Westminster and that they are “slowly but surely getting the message through”.