‘Nicotine-FREE’ vapes can contain JUST as much of the addictive substance as full-strength e-cigs

Some vapes wrongly claiming to be ‘nicotine-free’ are being sold on Britain’s high streets, analysis has revealed. 

Inter Scientific – which tests products to check whether they following regulations – examined more than 50 vape brands sold across England and Wales. 

It found eight devices marketed as containing no addictive substances, sold in high street shops, actually contained nicotine, while one carried just as much nicotine as full-strength e-cigarettes. 

This blackcurrant-flavoured option contained near maximum levels of the stimulant, despite its packaging suggesting it had none. 

On top of this, the probe also identified dozens of vapes that had a tank size that was too big, with the worst offender being more than twice the legal limit.

Under current regulations, the vape tank size should be no larger than 2ml, while the legal limit for nicotine is set at 2 per cent, or 20mg/ml. But one device recorded levels more than 50 per cent higher than the legal limit, while eight others which allege they are nicotine free, were found to contain to substance, Inter Scientific said

Laboratory analysis of the 52 products bought in England also found 73 per cent were above the 2ml capacity limit. These products were sold in shops in Birmingham, Staffordshire, Dudley, Liverpool, Newcastle, Hertfordshire and Wales, Inter Scientific said. A MailOnline investigation earlier this month discovered ‘dupes’ of Chupa Chups, Jolly Rancher, Calypso and Rubicon — all on Oxford Street (pictured)

Under current regulations, a vape tank size should be no larger than 2ml, while the legal limit for nicotine is set at 2 per cent, or 20mg/ml.

Any vapes with contents exceeding these amounts are illegal and should not be sold to the public, regulators say. 

But Inter Scientific, which shared its data with The Guardian, found Dr Gorilla King Blackcurrant Grape Slush had 19.7mg/ml of nicotine, even though it was supposed to be nicotine-free.

Seven other devices which allege they are nicotine free, were also found to contain the substance, Inter Scientific said.

The product tester also found, that of 52 vapes it bought in England, 73 per cent were above the legal tank capacity of 2ml. 

And more than 40 per cent of the vapes had 5ml of liquid or more — more than double the legal limit. 

It also found that the product with the highest nicotine content — Vape With a Bang Havana Tobacco’s 6 per cent disposable device — contained 29.35mg/ml. 

This is above the legal limit. 

These products were sold in shops in Birmingham, Staffordshire, Dudley, Liverpool, Newcastle, Hertfordshire and Wales, Inter Scientific said. 

MailOnline was unable to track down the product manufacturers for comment.  

None of the products were listed with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, which has a notification scheme for vapes so that any harm caused by the devices can be logged.

Inter Scientific is working with Trading Standards to tackle the sale of illicit products, which are flooding high street stores.

More than 1.4 tonnes of illegal vapes were seized in the last six months of 2022 in the north-east of England alone.

David Lawson, chief executive at Inter Scientific and a fellow of the Organisation for Professionals in Regulatory Affairs, told The Guardian: ‘We have seen a large increase in the number of illegal vape products being seized by trading standards and sent for analysis. 

‘Though these products don’t pose an immediate health risk, they are circumventing UK regulation.’

It comes as health minister Neil O’Brien last week unveiled plans to crackdown on the sale of e-cigarettes to under-18s amid Government concerns of a rise of vaping among children. 

NHS data for 2021 shows 9 per cent of 11 to 15-year-old children used e-cigarettes, up from 6 per cent in 2018. 

NHS Digital data shows the number of children who are current vapers has soared in recent years, jumping from 6 per cent in 2018 to 9 per cent in 2021

The 15 recommendations to help England be smoke-free by 2030 of the Khan review which was published in July last year

Experts have stressed their concern at children not being fully aware of the contents of e-cigarettes, with many so anxious for their next ‘fix’ they are begging teachers to let them vape at school

But under the anti-smoking push, a million cigarette addicts will also get e-cig ‘starter kits’ as part of a ‘swap to stop’ scheme.

The free kits are set to be offered to almost one in five of all smokers in England at an estimated cost of £45million over two years. 

Health chiefs hope the world-first policy will make England smoke-free, despite a torrent of evidence cataloguing the health risks of vaping.

Almost every high street in the country now has a designated shop, where e-cigs, costing as little as £5, are paraded. 

Around 6million people smoke in the UK and it is estimated to cause 64,000 deaths every year.

It also costs the NHS £2.4billion every year to treat smoking-related conditions. 

Rates have plunged over the past decade, but experts say it is still not close enough to reach the smoke free goal.  

Vaping rates have exploded over the same time, however.  

E-cigarettes still contain harmful toxins, according to a study by researchers at the Medical University of Silesia in Poland.

And their long-term effect on health remains a mystery, with some doctors fearing a wave of lung disease and even cancer in the coming decades.

Experts are also concerned the high nicotine content might increase blood pressure and cause other heart problems.

In February, major retailers pulled sales of bestselling Elf Bar vapes after a Mail investigation found the company was breaking the law on nicotine limits.

Tesco, Sainsbury’s and WH Smith withdrew all Elf Bar’s products and Morrisons and Asda stripped the top-ranked Elf Bar 600 range from their shelves.

It came after independent lab tests commissioned by the Mail found the 600 line of e-cigarettes were at least 50 per cent over the legal limit for nicotine e-liquid.