Scots children as young as 11 being sold vapes while in school uniform
Scots children as young as 11 are being sold vapes while in their school uniform, a probe by a consumer watchdog has found.
Shocking new figures released by a leading advice charity revealed a staggering 112 out of 150 complaints made last year were about underage vape sales, with some rogue traders repeatedly being caught red-handed.
From June 1 it will be illegal for businesses to sell or supply single-use or 'disposable' vapes.
But Advice Direct Scotland warned there may be a struggle to uphold the ban if enforcement can't stop shops from flogging vapes to kids.
Senior project lead Hazel Knowles said: 'Over the past year, we've received a significant number of complaints about underage vape sales including reports involving children as young as 11.
'In some cases, these sales were made to children in school uniforms, and some traders were reported multiple times.
'This highlights ongoing challenges with enforcement that need to be addressed. If enforcement mechanisms are already under pressure, there is a risk that they may struggle to keep pace with the demands of new regulations.
'This could be an issue with the new legislation.
'The upcoming legislation on single-use vapes is a welcome step towards protecting both public health and the environment.
'However, its success will depend heavily on how effectively it can be enforced.'
Shopkeepers who flout rules on vape can be fined or banned from selling following trading standards investigations by local authorities.
In 2023, an investigation found that one in five shops were willing to sell vapes to under 18s.
Local authority Trading Standards carried out test purchase operations with volunteers under the legal age and found that 63 of the 312 premises tested across Scotland sold vapes to an underage volunteer.
In May last year, Adnan Abbas, was banned by Inverness Sheriff Court from selling vapes for 15 months through two of his retail shops, following an investigation by a team at Highland Council.
In December 2023, Awder Far, Director of Seven Days Peterhead Ltd, was fined £400 after being caught selling a vape to an underage test purchase volunteer during a compliance check operated by Aberdeenshire Council Trading Standards.
A well as being harmful to young people, single-use vapes - also known as disposable vapes - pose a growing environmental and safety challenge.
The products, which are typically used once and then thrown away, often end up as litter on our streets or in general waste bins.
They can leak harmful chemicals into the environment, polluting soil, rivers, and streams and threaten local wildlife as well as posing a fire risk.
Even when they're binned, they often go to landfill or are incinerated - wasting valuable materials like lithium and plastic that could otherwise be recovered and reused.
A ban on the sale and supply of single-use vapes is due to come into force in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland - marking a major step towards reducing environmental harm and promoting safer, more sustainable alternatives.
Knowles, of Advice Direct, added: 'It's important that we learn from current gaps in oversight and ensure that the necessary resources, training and support are in place to make the new rules work in practice.
'This is about making sure that well-intentioned legislation is matched by practical, on-the-ground capability.
'We want to see a system that not only sets clear rules but also has the tools to uphold them consistently and fairly.
'The goal is to protect young people and reduce environmental harm and that's something we all support.
'But to achieve it, enforcement must be part of the conversation from the start.'
Advice Direct offer free, impartial advice by calling 0808 164 6000 or using web chat and email at www.consumeradvice.scot.
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