The Fight for Fair Vaping in Wales

A vape shop owner in Abertillery is rallying Welsh vapers to support licensing regulations to clean up the vaping industry.

The owner of The Vape Escape started a petition urging The Senedd, the Welsh Parliament, to require licenses for vape sellers. This would weed out unscrupulous retailers selling unsuitable products to underage customers.

The petition lays out several reasons licensing is needed:

Lack of training and licenses allow questionable vaping products and illegal devices to proliferate. These items can be dangerous and make quitting smoking harder.

Fake and illegal vape products not compliant with UK law are being sold, jeopardizing public health. Licensed sellers buying directly from licensed suppliers won’t deal in black market counterfeits.

Vaping products should only be sold in dedicated vape shops with trained staff knowledgeable about vaping, nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), and smoking cessation. This expertise helps customers quit smoking successfully.

While vape shops already meet trading standards requirements, some retailers still sell to those under 18. This mars the reputation of an industry helping people switch from smoking to the less harmful vaping. Vaping shouldn’t be introduced to youth.

With vaping’s high success rate helping smokers quit, the industry deserves recognition. Licensing will ensure vape products are sold responsibly and safely.

Trade group UK Vaping Industry Association (UKVIA) is already urging Parliament to pass licensing legislation.

Welsh vapers have a chance to make their voices heard on this issue. Signing the petition tells leaders that vapers want:

• Mandatory licensing to remove unscrupulous vape sellers
• Vape products sold only in specialty shops with trained staff
• Sales limited to adult customers to prevent youth vaping

Licensing protects public health while allowing access to smoking cessation tools. The vaping community can show support for fair regulations benefiting all. Vape shop owners are on the front lines seeing how licensing impacts safety. Welsh vapers should heed their call and sign the petition today.