Kids sold illegal vapes could be inhaling twice the daily safe amount of lead, it’s been revealed.
The Scottish Greens demanded action from retailers after “terrifying” revelations about the levels of toxic and potentially deadly chemicals in dodgy vapes.
Lab research on e-cigs confiscated from a school in England also found high levels of nickel and chromium – which, like lead, are carcinogenic.
Levels of nickel were a staggering nine times higher than the daily safe limit, while some of the 18 illegal vapes analysed contained other harmful chemicals like those found in cigarette smoke.
The lead, nickel and chromium were found in the e-liquid itself, rather than the heating element as the scientists at the Inter Scientific laboratory in Liverpool had expected.
High levels of lead exposure in children can affect the central nervous system and brain development.
It comes amid growing concern over surging rates of underage teens using vaping products – particularly brightly-coloured, sweet-flavoured and cheap disposable brands.
Green MSP and health spokeswoman Gillian Mackay said: “The results from scientists are frightening and should serve as a wake up call over the new health emergency we are facing.
“The number of young people trying vaping in the UK has risen by 50 per cent in the last year alone according to latest reports.
“That alone is extremely concerning, but if this growth is also increasing demand for a new breed of illegally-produced products then that is horrific.”
She added: “The appeal and lure of legal vapes are amplified by their placement in supermarkets and in other shops, which opens the door to these rogue products.
“That is why I ask again for retailers to do the right thing and hide them from view or ban them.”
The Daily Record has been campaigning since January for a ban on single-use vapes, both on grounds of kids’ health and for the environment.
A staggering 1.3million disposable vapes are thrown away in the UK every week – wasting precious lithium batteries and posing a nasty fire risk, particularly when they end up in landfill.
Professor Linda Bauld, public health expert at Edinburgh Uni and the Scottish Government’s Chief Social Policy Adviser, said the illegal vape findings were “deeply concerning”.
She said: “If kids are using these, particularly for extended periods, it will harm their health…
“Lead in particular is what we call a 2B carcinogen – so, cancer is not the main risk there, although it is one.
“It has effects on the brain. It can be very serious, children can even go into a coma… high levels in the longer term are linked to intellectual disability behavioural disorders.
“Nickel, when it’s breathed in, in particular, is harmful and linked to lung and nasal cancers.
“Short-term effects are quite acute – nausea and vomiting – but it’s that lung exposure that we’d be particularly concerned about.”
Speaking to BBC News, which arranged the scientific research, lab co-founder David Lawson said: “In 15 years of testing, I have never seen lead in a device.
“None of these should be on the market – they break all the rules on permitted levels of metal.
“They are the worst set of results I’ve ever seen.”
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