Basingstoke Shops Sell Vapes To Underage Teen In Gazette Investigation

Following rising considerations about younger folks getting access to age-restricted merchandise, the Gazette wished to see if retailers in our group would promote to underaged clients, with out ID or any type of age verification.

Teenage vaping is a urgent problem, in response to a survey from the marketing campaign group Motion on Smoking and Well being (ASH), which exhibits that experimental vaping has risen to twenty.5 per cent in 2023, with 7.5 per cent of 11 to 17-year-olds usually vaping.

It’s unlawful to promote e-cigarettes to kids – solely folks over the age of 18 can purchase the merchandise below UK legislation.

Nevertheless, in response to Buying and selling Requirements, illicit gross sales of vaping merchandise are the biggest risk to the UK excessive avenue this yr.

I’m 16-years-old and a few of my underage friends residing within the city vape. I wished to search out out if retailers are taking part in their half to cease these merchandise from stepping into the arms of underaged folks.

I went to 6 retailers in complete, together with chain vape shops, comfort shops and anyplace else within the city centre which had vapes on the market. 

Out of the six retailers, 4 requested for ID and I used to be refused buy. Nevertheless, two of the retailers didn’t ask for ID and I used to be capable of buy a vape. It was no tougher than shopping for a packet of sweets.

After buying the vape, it was handed to one in all my colleagues over the age of 18, who accompanied me and waited exterior the store.

One of many retailers that served me was VPZ Basingstoke, in Wote Avenue, which is a part of a sequence vape retailer with greater than 160 branches throughout the UK.

The store had indicators exterior the door stating that the ‘sale of nicotine merchandise is unlawful to below 18s’ and outlining a ‘Assume 25’ coverage, which outlines that anybody who seems to be below the age of 25 must be requested for ID, to stop age-restricted merchandise from being offered to these below 18.

Nevertheless, these weren’t upheld within the store. 

A spokesperson for VPZ stated it’s now working with the Basingstoke department to “fully investigate the matter”.   

They added: “VPZ is the UK’s largest vaping specialist with over 160 shops all through the nation and has helped over 700,000 grownup people who smoke give up smoking because it was established in 2012.

“Stopping youth entry is one in all our guiding priorities and we have now pioneered a problem 25 coverage for the {industry} to make sure session and entry is concentrated on grownup people who smoke.

“We work with all of our group members to implement stringent age verification procedures and usually audit all shops with our inner audit group in addition to being a part of an ongoing age verification buy testing programme carried out by the UK Vaping Business Affiliation.

“We take age verification extraordinarily significantly and at the moment are working with our Basingstoke department to totally examine the matter and perceive what corrective actions are required.

“Because the UK’s main vaping retailer we keep our dedication to making sure entry is concentrated on grownup people who smoke and proceed to implement strong and common coaching initiatives on our industry-leading problem 25 coverage.”

Foyles Comfort Retailer, a Premier Categorical in London Avenue, on the Prime of City, additionally offered me a vape. Once more, I walked into the store and requested for a ‘Misplaced Mary’ – a sort of disposable vape – and after tapping my card, I used to be free to depart with out exhibiting any ID or verifying my age.

A spokesperson for Foyles Comfort Retailer admitted that the sale was “a mistake”.

He added: “We now have a coverage to ID folks if somebody asks for a vape. We don’t promote vapes to below 18s, it was the error of a brand new worker below coaching.

“We now have reminded the workers once more, to test for ID earlier than making this type of mistake.

“It received’t occur once more, the worker can be retrained and it was a real mistake.”

Each retailers keep that they abide by the ‘Assume 25’ coverage.