Vape shops selling to non-smokers, RSPH warns

The Royal Society of Public Health (RSPH) has raised concern after an investigation into 100 of the UK’s 1,700 specialist vape shops found 87 per cent were selling vape products to non-smokers.

The RSPH found that 45 per cent of stores did not check whether new customers were current or former smokers; and 76 per cent of those that did check continued to encourage the customer to start vaping, even once they knew they were a non-smoker.

The RSPH warned that this was a direct violation of the Independent British Vape Trade Association (IBVTA) code of conduct which states: “Vape products are for current or former smokers and existing users of vaping devices, therefore never knowingly sell to anyone who is not a current of former smoker, or a current vaper.”

The body warned that although e-cigarettes are now regarded as a safer alternative for smokers, there remain uncertainties about their long term risks and therefore RSPH would be concerned at non-smokers beginning to vape.

To support more responsible and targeted retailing of e-cigarettes RSPH is calling for all vape stores adhere to code by screening customers’ smoking behaviour.

Shirley Cramer CBE, chief executive, RSPH said: “E-cigarettes are an important recent development, which are estimated to create an additional 16,000 ex-smokers in England every year. They are widely recognized to be far less harmful than cigarettes and we would encourage anyone struggling to quit their smoking habit to consider using e-cigarettes. It is of particular concern that only one in eight smokers who have never vaped believe e-cigarettes are a lot less harmful than smoking tobacco, and we need to do more to convince smokers that switching to e-cigarettes is a safer alternative.

“High street vape stores are the visible face of vaping in the UK, and so it is crucial that they are seen as responsible retailers of evidence-based quitting aids – rather than lifestyle products – which are targeted exclusively at smokers. We applaud the IBVTA code of conduct, which is in line with this principle. However, as our investigation shows, the majority of vape shops in the UK are not adhering to these important standards. We are keen to support the sector to strengthen their codes of best practice, and for individual retailers to sign up and ultimately adhere to them.”