Member

Access to vapes by underage users is the major concern. When underage people are asked how they access vapes, 71% say that they were buying them from retailers without age checks and 76% said that they were buying them online with minimal or no age verification. Support for stronger measures is apparent from research into public opinion: 78% of all respondents said that they would support point-of-use age verification for vapes if they knew that it would effectively block underage use. There is also support for action to prevent youth vaping, with 73% of people saying that they want smarter tech solutions, such as point-of-use verification to tackle underage use. The Bill, as it stands, will not keep up with the potential that the technology offers us. The Bill tackles packaging, flavours and retail display but does not give the Government the powers that they should have to regulate the technology that is incorporated into the devices themselves or their packaging. That is the loophole that underage users or rogue sellers would be able to exploit.