A little girl was admitted to the hospital right away after using a fake vape that was unlawful and might have twice as much nicotine than was permitted.
When 29-year-old mother Holly Smith saw that her 11-year-old daughter was incredibly lethargic and could not stand, she became alarmed and realised something was wrong.
Miss Smith said she phoned an ambulance for her daughter because she knew she had “taken something.”
The mother is now urging action against the unlawful selling of children’s e-cigarettes, which can be purchased for as low as £4.
Children are attracted to disposable vapes because they are frequently touted as having delicious flavours and are vividly coloured.
However, Miss Smith maintains that it is urgent to put an end to the selling of vapes to minors.
Speaking to the EDP, Miss Smith disclosed that she was aware of instances in which kids as young as nine regularly purchase vapes from dishonest retailers.
‘I do not understand why they are so available.
‘I think it is disgusting. They should take them off the shelves and hide them like they do cigarettes. They should not be within arm’s reach.’
Housekeeper Miss Smith claims that vaping poses a lot of health dangers, including as lung damage and tumours, and she is urging Yarmouth MP Brandon Lewis to address the problem.
According to Trading Standards at Norfolk County Council, there have been six complaints regarding retailers selling vape products to minors in Yarmouth since April 1. Three of the complaints involved the same retailer.
Inspectors discovered thousands of illicit e-cigarettes being sold earlier this year around the county, with 350 being confiscated from a store in King’s Lynn.
The items may result in “unexpected harm” since they contain more than twice the legal limit amount of nicotine and three times the legal maximum amount of liquid.
A government-funded survey cautioned that the number of kids who use e-cigarettes frequently has nearly quadrupled in the past two years.
The increase has been attributed by experts to social media platforms like TikTok, where films showcasing smoke-vaping skills have amassed tens of millions of views.
According to the study, which polled 2,000 British youngsters, one in 14 over-11s (7%) now regularly use e-cigarettes, up from 4% in 2020.
And throughout the same time period, the percentage of people who tested the gadgets increased to 16%. On TikTok, Instagram, or Snapchat, almost half of users have viewed vape videos.
In contrast to the 7% who stated the same thing in 2020, 52% of young people who vape cited disposable e-cigarettes as their preferred product.
These Chinese-made electronic cigarettes, which can be purchased for as low as £4, are the size of a highlighter pen and have completely taken over the market.
They include a built-in battery and may be used right out of the box to give the same amount of nicotine as around 50 cigarettes.
Although it is against the law to sell them to anybody under the age of 18, young people may easily get them through TikTok and Instagram.
Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) CEO Deborah Arnott has asked for increased financing for the enforcement of laws against underage sales, action on child-friendly packaging and labelling, as well as social media marketing.
She remarked that it was ‘no wonder’ that children are drawn to the gadgets more and more.