Come 31 March parents will no longer be able to take their children into vape shops. The local family-run business said this would ostracise parents who have no choice but to have their children with them while shopping.
‘If there was a mother with a baby she would only be able to come in if she left her baby outside or in the car,’ said Sophie Dorfner from the VapeBar.
‘It’s going to have an ostracising effect on parents who want to quit smoking.
‘We have a play area in the corner that would be a safe place for the children while their parents came in to the shop. Everything we order is regulated and tested and I am concerned that people will start to buy unregulated vape juices instead.’
The shop has started a petition, both online and a handwritten one that has already gained a lot of support.
‘We have more than 50 signatures online and more than 100 in store, and the comments support us saying that it’s crazy and ridiculous,’ said Ms Dorfner.
She wants to see a compromise where children would be permitted in vape shops under close supervision of parents or guardians.
This is just one of the new regulations that will come into effect at the end of March, along with a new licensing scheme for vape retailers and a ban on marketing of vape products.
‘We will have to black out our windows and keep our doors shut because vapes can’t be on display within three metres of the door,’ said Ms Dorfner.
She said that she understood and supported measures aimed at protecting young people from the possible harms associated with vaping and tobacco products.
By the end of October the price of refills for vapes are set to increase too, as a new tax of £2.20 per 10ml of vape juice will be introduced.
‘An additional £2.20 on top of potentially GST would mean we would have to charge two taxes as well and then with under-18s not being allowed on the premises will see us having to turn away half of our customers,’ said Ms Dorfner.
‘It seems like the States is doing everything they can to close us down.’
The petition can be signed in-store, or online here.
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