Alarms are being raised over increasing availability of illegal cannabis vapes in the black market after a local council reported rise in its use among the younger generation.
According to Bradford Council, vapes containing THC, the psychoactive element of cannabis which is illegal for recreational purposes, are on sale in the district.
A recent raid of Allerton Off Licence found "a box of suspected vapes containing pure cannabis". The shop, which one police officer called "a hub for criminality," had its alcohol license revoked.
A West Yorkshire Trading Standards officer raised the matter in a recent licensing meeting how cannabis vapes are being preferred by youngsters as they are odourless and can be used anywhere.
"These are relatively new, and they have become quite a concern due to the hospitalization of youths that have taken them in some areas," BBC quoted the officer as saying, who added that some devices tested positive for Spice, a synthetic drug.
Meanwhile, the issue of illegal vapes in the UK seem to be spiralling out of control.
According to new UK council data, a total of 1.2 million illicit vapes were seized off high streets last year. There were more than 14,000 cases of businesses identified as being in possession of, stocking or selling illegal vapes in 2025.
This comes as a surge of illegal nicotine products infiltrate local shops – 7.15 million illicit cigarettes, 257,000 illegal disposable vapes, and nearly 10,000 nicotine pouches have been seized over the last 12 months.
Industry experts warn shoppers to be aware of the tell-tale signs, as more than half (54%) of UK vapers believe they have been duped into buying an illegal vaping product.
Dan Marchant, founder member of the UK Vaping Industry Association, said, “The irresponsible sale of illegal and non-compliant products has done enormous damage to the reputation of an industry that, in its legitimate form, exists to help adult smokers move away from cigarettes.
“More needs to be done to crack down on rogue vape shops. Trading standards are doing the best they can with the resources available to them, but they simply do not have the boots on the ground to deal with these issues head-on.”