Children buying vapes in sweet wrappers over TikTok

CHILDREN are turning to TikTok and Instagram to buy vapes illegally from sellers boasting of no ID verification, while experts warn of a “nicotine time bomb ticking among UK youngsters”.

It is illegal to sell e-cigarettes or e-liquids to anyone under 18, and vaping has been shown to cause lung problems and damage to users’ sight.

However, several UK-based TikTok accounts have advertised disposable nicotine vapes – sold via linked Instagram and Snapchat accounts and delivered across the country – to minors.

Disposable e-cigarettes, or “disposables”, are non-rechargeable devices pre-filled with e-liquid that often contains nicotine. Some of these accounts offer “discreet packaging”, in sweet wrappers or disguised among beauty products, to help teenagers hide the vapes from their parents.

Beneath a video on one now-deleted TikTok account, an underage user said: “If I get more money, would [you] hide the vape… my parents are strict.”

Another user replied: “I’ll [wrap] one for anyone and no ID for £10.”

In response to comments asking whether age identification is required to buy the products, several sellers responded that it was not.

One vape account even appeared to be run by two teenagers. In response to a comment underneath a video, the account owners said: “We are both 17.”

After being approached for comment, TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat took “swift action” and the accounts were deleted.