<
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2023/apr/16/some-nicotine-free-vapes-high-addictive-substances-tests-show>
"Some high street vapes claiming to be nicotine-free actually contain the same
level of addictive substances as full-strength e-cigarettes, tests shows.
Data shared with the
Guardian by Inter Scientific – which offers analytical
testing of products to check whether they are following regulations – examined
dozens of vape brands sold in shops across England and Wales.
The data showed that oversized and overstrength vapes are being sold unlawfully
in shops. Laboratory analysis of 52 products bought in England showed 73% were
above the legal e-cigarette tank capacity of 2ml. More than 40% of those tested
had been filled with 5ml of liquid or more.
The analysis also showed that eight devices purporting to contain no addictive
substances did contain some, with many containing almost 20mg/ml of nicotine –
the legal limit in the UK. One vape had levels more than 50% higher than the
legal limit.
It comes as the government has launched an “illicit vapes enforcement squad” as
part of a crackdown on the sale of e-cigarettes to under-18s. There have long
been concerns that vapes are being targeted at children, and the number of
teenage vapers is on the rise. The latest survey by Action on Smoking and
Health (Ash) revealed that in 2022, 7% of 11-17-year-olds surveyed said they
used vapes, compared with 3.3% in 2021.
Despite concerns about teenagers taking up products, this week the government
announced plans for 1 million smokers to swap cigarettes for vapes. Under the
new “swap to stop” scheme, e-cigarette starter kits will be offered to almost
one in five smokers in England as part of the government’s smoke-free drive.
Pregnant women will also be offered up to £400 to stop smoking, and a
consultation will be launched on whether to make mandatory the placing of
advice on quitting smoking in cigarette packs."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
