What are illegal vapes?

Illegal vapes are products that break UK rules. They may be single use vapes sold after the ban, products with too much nicotine, missing safety information, incorrect labelling, or vapes being sold to children.

The biggest concern is children getting easy access

Illegal vapes are not only a product problem. Cheap, unregulated vapes can reach young people through shops, friends, older pupils, online sellers and local networks.

24%

of Year 7 to 11 pupils had tried vaping

Source: ASH Wales Youth Vaping Survey

62%

of Year 10 pupils said vapes were easy to get

Source: ASH Wales Youth Vaping Survey

55%

of young vapers used products likely to be illegal

Source: ASH Wales Youth Vaping Survey

1 in 3

UK reports raise youth access concerns

Source: NINB Report

Quick answer

An illegal vape is a vape that breaks UK rules or is being sold in a way that breaks the law.

You do not need to know every rule. If something looks wrong, you can report it.

Common examples

How to check a vape product

You may not be able to confirm if a vape is illegal just by looking at it. These signs can help you decide when something should be reported.

Check if it is single-use

Since 1st June 2025, single-use vapes cannot be sold or supplied in the UK. A reusable vape should be rechargeable and refillable. If it has a coil, the coil should be replaceable.

Too much liquid or nicotine

Nicotine vapes sold in the UK should not be stronger than 20mg/ml, which is often shown as 2%. Products labelled 5%, 50mg or 50mg/ml are a warning sign. Tanks, pods or cartridges should not hold more than 2ml of nicotine containing liquid.

Not listed with MHRA

Nicotine vapes should be listed with MHRA before they are sold. If the brand, product name or ECID number cannot be found, that is a red flag.

Wrong or missing warnings

Nicotine vape packaging should carry the correct warning: “This product contains nicotine which is a highly addictive substance.” Missing, tiny, badly translated or unusual warnings can be suspicious.

Sold to children or no age check

It is illegal to sell nicotine vapes to anyone under 18, or for adults to buy them for under-18s.

Still not sure what to report?

Do I need proof?

No. You can report a concern even if you are not completely sure. A shop name, location, product, seller, pattern or concern about children accessing vapes can still help.

What about puff counts?

High puff counts can be a warning sign, but on its own is not proof. Some reusable devices use pods, cartridges or refills, so check it alongside other signs such as whether it is rechargeable, refillable, MHRA listed and correctly labelled.

Explore Our Guides

Find clear information on illegal tobacco, illegal vapes, underage sales, online sellers, cannabis THC products and how to report concerns.

Underage sales

Report concerns about children being sold vapes, tobacco or related products.

Cannabis and THC vapes

Learn about cannabis, THC, HHC, spice and synthetic cannabinoid vape concerns.

Where is it sold?

See the shops, homes, online sellers and local networks people often report.

Watch: what is an illegal vape?

A short explainer on the signs that a vape product may be illegal.