Vapes sold on Amazon as 'nicotine free' found to contain the substance

The Guardian tested seven products from the online marketplace that stated on the sellers’ pages that they contained no nicotine, and six were found to contain the stimulant. 

Vapes sold on Amazon as “nicotine-free” have been found to contain the highly addictive substance.

The Guardian tested seven products from the online marketplace that stated on the sellers’ pages that they contained no nicotine, and six were found to contain the stimulant. 

A consumer raised concerns that vapes advertised as “zero nicotine” actually contained the substance with Amazon via their customer service chat in July and again in August, but Amazon told the person to contact the seller directly.

Amazon has now removed the products pending an investigation and said it would take enforcement action against any third-party sellers who violated their policies.

The consumer, who wants to remain anonymous, had been using a pack of two disposable vape pens which claimed to be nicotine-free.

“I have been trying to give up vaping so I bought no-nicotine ones,” he said. “I have bought them about 20 times and spent hundreds of pounds on them.

“When I first got them I trusted they did not contain nicotine, so thought I was getting off [the substance]. But when I stopped using the vapes I got withdrawals. 

I looked at the reviews and loads of people were saying this product actually has nicotine in it. 

"They were saying it is a fraud,” he said.

The customer contacted Amazon customer services, who said “as per the description we believe it [the product] contains no nicotine”. 

He replied asking: “So no tests were done on the product? Even though myself and other people in the reviews have said it probably contained nicotine.” Amazon then advised the customer to contact the seller.

The Guardian tested seven products that reviewers claimed were being misdescribed, and only one came back as being free of addictive chemicals.

One vape was marketed as being zero-nicotine but actually had 12.27mg/ml of nicotine and a fill volume of 6ml. Another vape had 13.58mg/ml of nicotine and a similarly large fill volume.

Earlier this year, the Irish Government moved to ban the sale of vapes to children with retailers to face fines of up to €5,000 or 12 months in jail under new legislation.

Advertisements for e-cigarettes near schools and on public transport will also be banned in a bid to stop normalising vaping.

At the start of the summer, the Government also revealed plans to ban the sale of cigarettes and vapes at music festivals under new laws to clamp down on the “soaring” popularity of vaping among teenagers.

This week it emerged that disposable vapes are to be banned as part of a further crackdown on e-cigarettes, including curbs on flavours and advertising.

International research published at the start of the month found that teenagers and young adults who vape are twice as likely to report chronic stress compared with their peers.

- The Guardian