Fears 'highly addictive' vapes are being 'targeted specifically at children' as police raid shops

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

Health bosses have warned of a terrifying trend in which vape products are being 'targeted specifically at children.' This comes after a series of raids carried out by police and trading standards in Bolton on shops reported to be selling e-cigarettes to school-age children.

They seized 2,270 illegal vape products from shops across the borough during the raids. The action came after parents and headteachers raised concerns over the growing trend of vape use in schools.

It is illegal to sell vaping products to anyone aged under-18. Lynn Donkin, Bolton’s director of public health has talked about the importance of tackling under-age sales. "This legal age limit exists for a reason," she said. "Worryingly, many vape products appear to be targeted and marketed specifically at children, with branding, flavours and cheaper disposables designed to appeal to children and young people. Try MEN Premium for FREE by clicking here for no ads, fun puzzles and brilliant new features "Vaping is less harmful than smoking and can help people break the routines of smoking.

But it isn’t harm free. In the short-term vaping can cause coughing, mouth and throat irritation, shortness of breath, and headaches. "We don’t know the long-term effects.