'unacceptable' - four retailers probed after selling vapes to undercover teens

FOUR BUSINESSES IN NORTH TYNESIDE ARE BEING INVESTIGATED AFTER SELLING VAPES TO UNDER-18S. 20:28, 16 May 2025 Four North Tyneside businesses are under investigation over selling nicotine

vapes to teenagers. This comes after a test-purchase operation led by the borough council's trading standards team, with the help of undercover police cadets aged 15 and 16. The cadets

were used to attempt to buy age-restricted vapes - which should only be sold to over-18s. Eight shops were visited and four failed the test by allowing the youngsters to buy disposable vapes

and an e-liquid without showing any ID. Businesses found to be in breach of these laws may face enforcement action, including closure orders or prosecution. Retailers are encouraged to have

a "challenge 25" policy - and ask for ID from anyone appearing to be younger than 25. North Tyneside's newly-elected mayor Karen Clark said selling vapes like these to

children was "completely unacceptable". She said: "Businesses have a clear duty to follow the law and help protect young people. While most do the right thing, there are still

some who don’t. KEEP UP TO DATE WITH ALL THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS AND TOP STORIES FROM THE NORTH EAST WITH OUR FREE NEWSLETTER Article continues below "Our Trading Standards team will

continue to take firm action, working alongside our colleagues at Northumbria Police, to uphold the law, keep young people safe, and support responsible retailers." Northumbria

Police's Ch Insp David Morrison - from the force's North Tyneside area command - said: "We understand that the rise of vaping by young people is a real worry for many parents

and that is why we have increased our activity to crack down on illegal sales to under 18s. “Retailers should be aware that it is a criminal offence to sell nicotine-based e-cigarettes to

under 18s. Rest assured, we will continue to work alongside our partners at North Tyneside Council to run test purchasing operations and hold repeated rule breakers to account." Article

continues below Ch Insp Morrison added: "The law is there for a reason and no responsible retailers should be selling these items to those who are not old enough to buy them."

ANYONE WITH CONCERNS OR INFORMATION ABOUT THE SALE OF AGE-RESTRICTED PRODUCTS TO MINORS CAN REPORT IT TO CITIZENS ADVICE VIA: HTTPS://WWW.CITIZENSADVICE.ORG.UK/ABOUT-US/CONTACT-US/ OR

CONTACT NORTH TYNESIDE TRADING STANDARDS DIRECTLY BY EMAIL AT: [email protected] JOIN OUR WHATSAPP COMMUNITIES ChronicleLive is now on WhatsApp and we want you to join

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