GEORGE NEWS - Selling vaping products or e-cigarettes containing nicotine to anyone under the age of 18 is illegal in South Africa, but seemingly there are some vape and e-cigarette stores in George who do not heed this law.
In recent weeks George Herald has received complaints that vaping products are being sold to children as young as 12 at shops in George and Wilderness.
The sale and possession of any products that contain nicotine to anyone under 18 is illegal and the vaping industry has come under intense scrutiny recently amid a wave of underage vaping.
Using e-cigarettes is commonly referred to as vaping, derived from the word vapour. E-cigarettes come in various shapes, sizes and colours. The battery-operated devices heat a liquid to release an aerosol (vapour) which is inhaled by the user.
Although they were developed as harm reduction tools to assist adult smokers to reduce or quit smoking, the appeal these products hold for under 18s continues to be a hot topic.
Reg-flagging
In South Africa, the Vapour Products Association of South Africa (VPASA) has launched the Youth Access Prevention campaign aimed at retailers of vaping products.
"We launched this important campaign as we believe red-flagging this issue is of paramount importance," said Asanda Gcoyi, the CEO of VPASA.
"The fundamental we cannot afford to forget is that most e-liquids contain nicotine, and that vaping was created for smokers seeking a less harmful alternative to smoking cigarettes. Prematurely exposing young people to an addictive substance such as nicotine is incorrect," she said.
The association has provided all its members with guidelines for physical stores delineating the type of signage that needs to be visible, such as point-of-sale signs that say no sales will be made to under 18s and posters that tell customers they may need to provide their ID when purchasing vapour products.
"So if a customer looks young, the seller has the right to verify their age by asking for ID, and knowing that upfront as a customer is important."
The sale and possession of any products that contain nicotine to anyone under 18 is illegal. Photo: Pexels.com
Age verifying
Online retailers have also been asked to add age gateways to their portals that will require consumers to enter their date of birth, said Gcoyi.
Over and above the double age verification and the payment through credit cards, online retailers have been asked to partner with courier companies that will verify a customer's age on delivery and refuse to deliver should the customer be under 18.
Gcoyi added that, should retailers that have signed the VPASA code of conduct pledge be found guilty of selling products to under 18s, they would face a disciplinary procedure which may result in expulsion.
According to the Heart and Stroke Foundation of South Africa, nicotine use among teenagers was on the decline in recent years. Sadly, due to e-cigarettes, it's now increasing once again. It also poses serious risks to teenagers as the teen brain is extremely receptive to the effects of nicotine.
"Those who start early have deeper addictions and more difficulty quitting. Vaping's flavours, e-cigarette design and 'clouding' culture are all brilliantly designed to appeal to teenagers," said an article on the foundation's website.
A warning label found on the inside of a vaping product's box.
'We bring you the latest George, Garden Route news'
