The Guardian newspaper, in one of its investigative reports, has uncovered electronic cigarettes that claim to be “nicotine-free” but were found to contain nicotine.
The newspaper tested seven products available through the Amazon app, and although sellers claimed they were nicotine-free, six of them were found to contain the addictive substance.
Not only did these e-cigarettes contain nicotine, but they also exceeded the legally permissible liquid amount within the cigarette, which is 2 ml.
Amazon has since removed these products from its platform and is awaiting further investigation. They stated that they would take enforcement action against any external sellers who violate their policies.
This issue came to light thanks to a concerned consumer who wishes to remain anonymous. He explained, “I was trying to quit vaping, so I bought products labeled as nicotine-free. I purchased them around 20 times and spent a lot of money.”
He added, “I was confident they didn’t contain nicotine. I looked at the reviews inside the app, and many people were saying that the product likely contained nicotine, calling it a scam.”
The consumer contacted Amazon customer service to report the problem, and their response was, “According to the description, we believe the product does not contain nicotine.” They advised him to contact the seller.
It is expected that the British government will soon announce whether it will ban single-use e-cigarettes, following increasing calls for a ban by leading doctors.
Local authorities in the UK have raised concerns about the environmental risks when disposing of e-cigarettes that contain lithium batteries in waste sites.
Julian Petch, acting CEO of the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency in the UK, stated, “For them to be legally sold in the UK, companies must provide us with information about nicotine-containing e-cigarette products.”
An Amazon spokesperson stated, “We have removed the products awaiting further investigation. External sellers are independent companies and must comply with all the laws, regulations, and Amazon policies when listing items for sale in our store. We have proactive measures to prevent prohibited items from being listed, and we continuously monitor our store and take actions against those who violate our policies.”