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The Tobacco and Vapes Bill aims to tackle the rise in the numbers of young people vaping, with data from Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) showing that youth vaping has nearly tripled in the last four years (18% of 11–17 year-olds tried vaping in 2024).
However, under the current provisions of the Bill, vaping products can still get into the hands of young people, as the Bill does not tackle the most fundamental issue preventing the UK from solving the problem: accessibility.
Current proposed restrictions on packaging, contents and display in shops will have no impact on the ability for underage audiences to use vaping products. Granted these restrictions may slightly limit appeal, but addressing the most common way youth get access to vaping products is fundamental in limiting usage.
IKE Tech, an age and biometric verification platform, is calling on the Government to pave the way for tech solutions that will solve the problem of vape accessibility. The new technology makes it possible for each vape on sale in the UK market to include secure Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) technology, which acts as a ‘child lock’ to prevent under-18s from using vaping devices. Essentially, only vape users who can continuously prove they are over the age of 18 will be able to activate and use the devices.
John Patterson, Senior Vice President at IKE Tech, says: “Eliminating youth usage must combine measures at both point-of-purchase and point-of-use. Many retailers already do a great job at implementing in-store age verification policies such as Challenge 25, however, the new technology provides a secure ’double age-gate’ to also prevent access at the point of use”.
The IKE tech works through a small, low-cost chip integrated into a vape device that is controlled via a mobile app, working in partnership with global identity verification partners to authenticate users. The tech solution works with any brand of vape and does not impact device performance for adult users.
IKE is calling on the Government to mandate the use of similar open technology to ensure that young people cannot use vapes without verifying that they are of legal age.
Patterson concludes: “The technology helps to reassure retailers that if genuine age-verification errors are made at point of purchase – or proxy purchasing takes place – any underage users will not be able to access the product as it would be inoperable until the user’s identity and age is verified and confirmed on a continuous basis.
“By embracing this new technology, responsible manufacturers would be showing their support for retail partners in helping to safeguard the category and preserve the harm reduction benefits of vaping for adult smokers. The industry is ripe for technological disruption to cut short this problem, and continuous age-verification at the point of use can be that solution.
Friday 22 November 2024 6:00 am | Updated: Thursday 21 November 2024 6:29 pm,
Political Reporter
Ministers have been urged to deploy a biometric age verification solution to address the issue of underage vaping.
The company IKE Tech says it has developed a technological solution to mandate continuous age verification on vapes.
It comes as the government is set to bring the Tobacco and Vapes Bill to Parliament which proposes to gradually raise the age people can legally be sold tobacco, make vape packaging less attractive to children and introduce a vape and tobacco licensing scheme.
But IKE has argued that although current measures in the Bill will help reduce underage vaping, it will not end it.
Their product, they say, is an age and biometric verification platform which could see each vape on sale in the UK market include a bluetooth chip acting as a ‘childlock’.
IKE said this would mean any vape an under-18 tried to use will not turn on unless they are age-verified, via an app connected to the chip partnered with global identity authenticators.
Underage vaping access
Jason Carignan, IKE managing director, said: “The government has the opportunity to pave the way for tech solutions that will have a transformative impact on tackling underage access to vaping products.
“It’s the right time to do so given youth vaping has nearly tripled in the last four years in Britain. The industry is ripe for technological disruption to cut short this problem, and continuous age-verification at the point of use can be delivered at no cost to the taxpayer.”
While health psychologist Sairah Salim-Sartoni said: “Adult smokers need access to tools like vaping products to help them move away from combustible cigarettes – the UK’s deadliest killer – while ensuring that it doesn’t get into the hands of young people.
“If technology can play an important role in achieving this goal, then it is right that the government considers legislative options to enable this.”
The Department for Health and Social Care has been contacted for comment.