What action is the Welsh Government taking to increase enforcement against the selling of illegal e-cigarettes in Wales?
The Welsh Government has put in place a series of measures to tackle illegal tobacco in Wales, including illegal e-cigarettes. Through working with ASH Wales, resources have been developed and a dedicated website (https://noifs-nobutts.co.uk/) put in place to provide and share information news about illegal tobacco in Wales. The website includes an interactive map which allows the public to see how much illegal tobacco has been seized in each local authority area as well as a reporting mechanism for the public to report illegal tobacco and illegal e-cigarette activity in their area anonymously. This information is then passed to the Regional Intelligence Team for Trading Standards Wales and onto the appropriate local authority for local enforcement action. The information is also uploaded onto the Intelligence database so that the activity taking place across Wales can be monitored and acted upon.
A comprehensive training programme for police community support officers and schools community police officers has also been delivered to raise awareness and to encourage reporting of illegal tobacco and illegal e-cigarettes. The Noifs-NoButts website includes a separate reporting page for the Police to use to report information regarding illegal tobacco/illegal e cigarettes. In addition to the resources on the website, a partner pack containing resources and media content has also been developed and shared widely shared amongst stakeholders for their use in developing their local messages on these illegal products.
Officials are also working with Public Health Wales on the messages shared with young people about e-cigarettes via the JustB SmokeFree smoking prevention programme. This includes raising awareness of the harmful properties of illegal e-cigarettes and messages to discourage young people from using e-cigarettes.