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October 17th, 2016:

E-liquids that ‘look like children’s sweets’ taken off shelves

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-merseyside-37679902

Concern has been raised over potentially harmful e-liquids being sold to look like “children’s sweets”.

Trading standards officers in Knowsley on Merseyside seized a “large number” of the vaping liquids which are used in e-cigarettes.

A council spokesman said they were packaged to appeal to children and lacked the necessary warning signs.

E-liquids contain nicotine and can be “extremely dangerous” if swallowed by mistake.

The council removed the items from five business premises in Huyton, Prescot and Kirkby in September.

Image copyright Knowsley Council Image caption Trading standards officers took the e-liquids off the shelves during the first week of September.

The products taken off the shelves include:

• Mech Shakes
• Drippy Lee Pounding Clouds
• Milky Cones Vapory
• ‘Murica
• Milkshake Man
• Kreamy Vapes

According to the Food Imitations Safety Regulation 1989, it is an offence to supply products which are not food, but could easily be confused with food due to their packaging or shape, particularly by children.

Eddie Connor, councillor responsible for public health wellbeing, said: “I’m pleased that our Trading Standards team have investigated and removed these potentially harmful products from sale in Knowsley.

“The safety of customers is always our highest priority and I’m concerned that young children could be attracted to these products because of their appearance.

Mr Connor added that Knowsley’s trading standard officers are investigating the supply chain for the e-liquids.

Introduction of plain packaging and new, enlarged graphic health warnings in the Australian state of Victoria

Change in public support for the introduction of plain packaging and new, enlarged graphic health warnings in the Australian state of Victoria, 2011–2013

http://tobaccocontrol.bmj.com/content/early/2016/10/17/tobaccocontrol-2016-053238

Introduction

Since December 2012, all Australian tobacco products have been supplied in packaging that is a standardised drab brown colour with uniform fonts. The implementation of plain packaging coincided with the introduction of refreshed graphic health warnings (GHWs) that increased in size from 30% to 75% of the pack face, with coverage of the pack rear maintained at 90%.1

A slight rise in opposition to plain packaging among Australian smokers was reported immediately prior to implementation, followed by a significant increase in support, from 28% preimplementation (late 2011 to early 2012) to 49% postimplementation (early 2013).2 No data on the views of former or never smokers have previously been published.