Actions taken against individuals regarding the sale of nicotine - Find a freedom of information request

I would like to request the following information relating to local enforcement actions taken against individuals, points of sale, and other premises relating to the sale of Nicotine Inhaling Products.

Specifically, can you please provide me with:



1) The number of individuals who have been prosecuted between 6 April 2023 and 5 April 2024 in your council area for the sale of Nicotine inhaling products (sometimes known as 'e-cigarettes', 'vapes' or 'vapour products') for not being legal for sale in the United Kingdom, due to investigations conducted by your council.



2) The number of businesses and sole traders subject to any penalty between 6 April 2023 and 5 April 2024 (including but not limited to fine, opening restrictions, removal of premises licence) for the sale of nicotine inhaling products (sometimes known as 'e-cigarettes', 'vapes' or 'vapour products') that are not legal for sale in the UK, due to investigations conducted by your council.



3) The number of shops, and other places of business (including but not limited to market stalls, 'car boot sales' and other point of sale locations) that have been visited between 6 April 2023 and 5 April 2024 by your council for the purposes of detection and disruption of the sale of nicotine inhaling products that are not legal for sale in the UK.



4) The number of Trading Standards officers employed by the local council whose job description, roles, and responsibilities entail the investigation, detection, and disruption of the sale of nicotine inhaling products that are not legal for sale in the UK.



For the purposes of this request, please define 'not legal for sale in the UK' as meaning at least one of the following:

1) Possessing of a tank size or fill level over the maximum 2ml legal limit

2) Possessing a nicotine content over the maximum legal limit of 20mg per millilitre

3) Possessing ingredients that contravene the UK Government guidance for nicotine containing liquids, for example, ingredients such as vitamins, formaldehyde, ethylene glycol, acetaldehyde, acrolein, preservatives liable to release formaldehyde, diacetyl, or base metals including cadmium, chromium, iron, lead, mercury, and nickel.

UK Government Guidance: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/chapter-6-ingredient-guidance-great-britain/4687fea1-5977-4744-a9b1-498b19490e81

4) Not complying with the requisite nicotine warning label requirements of UK law as set out under the Tobacco and related Products Regulations.

 I can confirm that the following information is held by Lincolnshire County Council;

1. 4 individuals or businesses prosecuted

2. 32 closure orders issued in 2023/24

41 warnings/advice provided to 37 premises

3. 373 visits to 159 premises – this includes compliance checks, test purchasing for non-complaint vapes and test purchasing for underage sales of vapes

From the above visits there were 43 seizures of vapes from 32 premises

4. In 2023/24 there are 35.41 FTE’s employed within Lincolnshire Trading Standards.  Note the FTE figures above equate to the whole of the Trading Standards Service, not those dedicated to vapes and underage sales work.  There are currently 5 FTE’s within the Tobacco and Product Safety Team whose remit includes the sale of non-compliant vapes and underage, as well as other duties.