Electronic Cigarettes: Sales
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to prevent the sale of unregulated vaping products in local high streets.
Answered by Mrs Sharon Hodgson
The Tobacco and Vapes Act 2026 will strengthen enforcement activity by providing powers for ministers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland to introduce a licensing scheme for the retail sale of tobacco, vapes and nicotine products. A new licensing scheme can support law-abiding retailers while tackling those who break the law. Powers in the act also allow us to develop a new registration system for tobacco, vape and nicotine products. A new registration system can play an important part in enforcing our rules on product requirements. This will help ensure consumer safety and improve retailer confidence in the products they are selling.
Alongside new legislation, we are also investing up to £10 million of new funding per year in Trading Standards from 2025/26 to 2028/29, to tackle illicit and underage sales of tobacco and vapes and help enforce the law. This includes recruitment of 120 new apprentices to ensure Trading Standards have a sustainable workforce for the future.
Introduction of the Vaping Product Duty, from 1 October 2026, will provide civil and criminal powers for HM Revenue & Customs to assess for duty and seize products and equipment used to produce or transport illicit products. HM Revenue & Customs is recruiting over 300 new compliance officers for this measure.
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