The Elux Legend is illegal in the UK. This is because it contains nicotine with an e-liquid capacity greater than 2ml.
The Elux Legend contains a 10ml e-liquid capacity and 20mg nicotine strength. This is illegal for sale in the UK. The “Tobacco and Related Products Regulations” (TRPR) enforce the rules and regulations for the tobacco industry.
They have enforced that nicotine can only be present in an e-liquid capacity of less than 2ml. The Elux Legend mini Disposable is TPD compliant as it has an e-liquid capacity of 2ml, which contains 2% nicotine.
Tobacco products, e-cigarettes and vape devices must adhere to strict tobacco control rules that mandate particular advertising, including safety warnings and product limits, on items and packaging. Hence, it is essential to do your research before purchasing them.
What vapes are illegal in UK?
In the UK the following products are banned;
Hipster Glow 2000 Puff
Crystal Bar Pro 4000 Puff
Hipster 2600 Puff
Tornado 7000 Puff
Geek Bar Pro
Magic Max Bar 4000 Puff
Smok Nord 4000 Puff
Lost Mary 3500 Puff
Elux 1500 Puff
They should state the following:
- A maximum 2ml e-liquid capacity.
- A maximum of 20mg nicotine.
- A nicotine warning label.
Nicotine inhaling products containing more than 2% nicotine, or with more than 2ml of liquid, are illegal to sell as they do not comply with UK safety requirements.
How many cigarettes are 3500 puffs?
The Elux legend 3500 puff is equivalent to 280 cigarettes, while the Elux 1500 puff equals 120 cigarettes. Both of these are illegal as their e-liquid capacity is greater than 2ml, which contains nicotine.
Since April 2022, trading standards officers have seized over 3,500 illegal vapes with a street value of £27,000. In the year 2021/22 a further 4,700 vapes were also seized due to them being either oversized or counterfeit.
It is estimated that as many as one in three disposable vapes sold in the UK are either illegal or counterfeit.
There are some tell-tail signs that products could be fake or illegal. People should look out for Low prices, unauthorised retailers, a promise of 1,500 puffs or more and if an e-cigarette and e-liquids containing nicotine isn’t certified by MHRA.
Trading standards departments are taking ‘enforcement action’ in stores in response to rising reports of illegal disposable vape products.
While both Geek Bar and Elf Bars are legitimate brands with legitimate and fully legally complaint products available in the UK, concerns have grown over counterfeit and imported stock from other markets which does not comply with UK vaping laws.
The MHRA is the competent authority for a notification scheme for e-cigarettes and refill containers in Great Britain and Northern Ireland and is responsible for implementing the majority of provisions under Part 6 of the Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016 (TRPR), as amended.
The TRPR introduced rules which ensure:
- Minimum standards for the safety and quality of all e-cigarettes and refill containers (otherwise known as e-liquids)
- That information is provided to consumers so that they can make informed choices
- An environment that protects children from starting to use these products.
The requirements:
- restrict e-cigarette tanks to a capacity of no more than 2ml
- restrict the maximum volume of nicotine-containing e-liquid for sale in one refill container to 10ml
- restrict e-liquids to a nicotine strength of no more than 20mg/ml
- require nicotine-containing products or their packaging to be child-resistant and tamper evident
- ban certain ingredients including colourings, caffeine and taurine
- include new labelling requirements and warnings
- require all e-cigarettes and e-liquids be notified and published by the MHRA before they can be sold’
Disposable Vape Regulations: Separating Facts From Fiction
Maximum puff limit
The first is the ‘puff limit’ of different devices. Some people, including people at some trading standards organisations, believe the legal limit is 600 puffs. That’s led to claims that devices that state larger puff limit are illegal.
The legal limit is not set according to puffs, as puffs will vary hugely per user on any given device. Imagine, for example, that one person takes three second puffs and then another person takes six second puffs. The first person will get twice as many puffs as the second person.
So the legal limit has nothing to do with the amount of puffs, it’s all to do with how much liquid is in the device. The maximum allowed is 2ml as stated previously. If a device boasts a ridiculous number of puffs e.g. 3000 this is an indication the amount of e-liquid contained is likely more than 2ml.
As an ethical business starting out, I didn’t realise just how widespread the sale of illegal and fake disposal vapes also known as e-cigarettes were so easy to by in the UK.
This left me downhearted as I can’t compete with websites, businesses and shops selling illegal products.
I realise there will always be a small percentage of people who don’t care and just want a bargain, it’s natural human behaviour, especially like the times we facing. On the other hand, the majority of people do not purchase cheap cigarettes under the counter because they are illegal but how many people buy these products without realising?
Not only that but considering Trading Standards estimate 1 in every 3 disposable vapes sold in the UK is fake, you may want to ask yourself, if they are willing to openly advertise illegal products breaking the law, are they happy to sell you known counterfeit vapes / e- cigarettes.
So how are companies evading the law?
Most of the products listed about are advertised usually with the e-liquid content airbrushed out or use the nicotine-free template. On further inspection they quote the devices as containing 2ml of e-liquid which is a ridiculous claim considering the amount of puffs advertised.
If you are in any doubt what is legal, more information can be found at UKVIA (UK Vaping Industry Association)
Why not try our TPD compliant Elux range including the Elux Legend Mini, Elux Legend Solo and Elu Flow 600?
Warning to businesses to be on the lookout for vapes falsely sold as zero nicotine
Stoke-on-Trent City Council’s Trading Standards Team has removed 5,000 illegal vapes, worth around £66,000 from the market since April 2022.
In some cases vapes sold as ‘zero nicotine’ have been found to actually contain nicotine, with it being listed as an ingredient on the label. This is becoming an increasing problem and genuine traders could be caught out.
