Durham stores speak out about plans to ban disposable vapes

Government ministers are ready to ban single use Vapes Reports this week suggest there are concerns about children’s health and environmental impacts.

But the news has sparked concern among some small business owners, many of whom are already struggling to stay afloat amid the cost of living crisis.

companies in Durham responded to the news on Wednesday (September 13) when a vape shop employee claimed that some stores were illegally selling to children.

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The worker, who preferred to remain anonymous, told The Northern Echo: “Disposable vapes are definitely aimed at the kids – this is where we make names and kick their asses. But even on this street, if you walk a few doors down.” Downstairs you’ll find people selling to children and selling illegal e-cigarettes.

“This means trading standards are more likely to be aimed at you.

“I have people come up to me and show me things they’ve seen on their Instagram and ask if we do them.”

“It’ll be a giant disposable device with a gorilla on the front, or one covered in Rick and Morty cartoons.”

“The other day I was shown one that looked like a Minion from the children’s movie and one that looked like a Happy Meal toy.

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“There are fantastic devices that people choose not to use because they just want something lazy. The disposable devices are just torture.”

Quaiser, a father and manager at Durham Tech and its sister company Sweet and Spices Durham, believes a ban will do little to curb the use of these e-cigarettes among the young population, but admits he is worried that his Children who could get their hands on disposable vapes.

“I live locally and my children also live locally, so of course it concerns me. “I don’t want kids smoking e-cigarettes – but business has been slow and I’m worried about my business,” he said.

“It seems like everyone thinks it’s OK for shops to close when there’s student accommodation above them. There are so many empty shops on this street.”

“People have less purchasing power and are coming into stores less and less – a ban on e-cigarettes just means they will find them online.”

The black market’s problems are already plaguing Trading Standards and the police, who are having to devote increasing resources to cracking down on illegal nicotine products sold under the counter.

Scott Butler, chief executive of Material Focus, an environmental group, told The Guardian that a ban could lead to “hard-to-control illegal sales and an established illegal vape market.”

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The Northeast is already seeing the effects of an unregulated black market. Trading Standards confiscates hundreds of e-cigarettes, some even shaped like toys.

The anonymous shop owner believes his shop will weather the storm even after the planned ban comes into effect.

“We were here before the single-use devices came on the market and we will stay after they are gone. Basically everyone already vapes, so it’s going to be more work to equip people with the refillable devices, but I’m a big pro about the ban.”