E-cigarettes and vaping : a definition

An e-cigarette is a device that allows you to inhale nicotine in a vapour rather than smoke . They do not burn tobacco or produce tar or carbon monoxide and work by heating a liquid ( called an e-liquid ) that contains nicotine . Using an e-cigarette is known as vaping , hence the popular name given to e-cigarettes is ‘ vapes ’.

Vapes were devised as an aid to stop smoking . However , they are becoming increasingly popular among teenagers who are neither former or current smokers , in particular the disposable , single use , pre-filled vapes that are cheap , compact and require no set up . As a young person ’ s brain does not fully develop until age 25 , it is imperative that as a society we have the right laws and regulations in place to help avoid unpreventable addiction and adverse effects that nicotine-based products can have . Ensuring age verification technology is readily available to retailers to make the age check process simple and effective will help restrict teen access to vapes .

Usage and the law

In the UK , like many European countries , the legal age to purchase and use an e-cigarette is 18 years . The penalty for selling either cigarettes or e-cigarettes with nicotine containing vape juices to someone underage is currently a £ 2,500 fine .

Vaping has seen a massive surge in global popularity over the past few years , with teenage use accelerating , shops selling vapes illegally without conducting appropriate and effective age checks is a contributing to the incline . We speak to Andrew O ’ Brien , Biometrics Product Manager at Innovative Technology ( ITL ), a cash handling equipment manufacturer utilising AI powered biometrics to deploy accurate age checks , on how how biometric technology can support retailers with the necessary tools to help stem and reverse this disturbing trend .

In a recent Serve Legal survey ( UK ’ s leading age verification audit and age verification testing company ), a massive 42 % of respondents had tried a vape before turning 18 . And latest figures from Action on Smoking and Health ( ASH ) reveal that vaping rates among 11 – 17 year-olds have risen from four percent in 2020 to seven percent in 2022 . Yet more worryingly , for the lower 11 – 15 year-old age group in England this figure is even higher with the latest data reporting usage of e-cigarettes rising to nine percent . Specifically , vaping among 15-year-old girls has jumped significantly from 10 % in 2018 to 21 % in 2021 .

Where are teenagers purchasing e-cigarettes ?

It is important to understand where vapes are being purchased in order to stop this rapid increase in use amongst teens . In the Legal Serve survey , 70 % of respondents purchased their vapes from corner shops and convenience

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