N. Ireland: Eight Out of 10 Vapers Never Age-Verified

Around 80 percent of vapers say they have never been asked for age verification in Northern Ireland, reports The Irish News, citing new research. The share is the highest in the U.K., where on average 45 percent of surveyed vapers said they had never been asked to prove their age.

Belfast, Norwich and Plymouth are the top cities that fail to ask vapers for ID during purchase while Newcastle, Southampton and Birmingham ask the most. The survey of 1,000 e-cigarette users also showed that females are asked for age verification more frequently than males.

Supermarkets performed the worst, with 48 percent of respondents in the U.K. stating that they have never been asked to prove their age when purchasing a vape in such venues.

The U.K. Tobacco and Vapes Bill aims to crack down on underage sales. Under the legislation, retailers risk fines of up to £2,500 if found to have sold vapes to minors.

“As the Tobacco and Vapes Bill rolls out, it is vital that retailers take more responsibility to ensure vaping products do not end up in the hands of children,” said David Phillips from Vape Superstore, which commissioned the survey.

“Our survey shows that, on the whole, e-cigarette users support stricter age verification, which suggests everyone believes that safeguarding children during this process is a top priority.

“E-cigarettes are meant to help aid adult smokers quit, not encourage children to start nicotine-replacement therapy.”