Friday July 18th 2025
Krazey Vapes, Dalkeith
Written by Midlothian View Reporter, Liam Eunson
Shops accross Edinburgh have been selling disposable vapes despite being banned across the UK since the 1st of June.
With the UK government banning the single-use vapes to tackle waste and impact on the environment, there has been worries of an emerging black market in the capital as many shops have been proven to still sell the banned product.
On these recent developments, I spoke to Lee Rutherford, the manager of Krazey Vapes in Dalkeith, about the emerging issue, why these shops are taking the risk of selling banned products, and his opinion on why the UK government introduced the ban.
He explained that the government banning the popular product forced black market trade, explaining, “Essentially that was what the government was forcing them to do [illegally sell the products], they are still widely available. You can go online and get them, no problem.”
“Plenty of shops in the local area still sell them. Down at Jarnac Court, there’s a billboard advertising it.”
Lee explained that his belief behind the motivation to still sell disposable vapes is due to two reasons, that retailers overstocked before the ban or that they don’t want to lose money as the products were high sellers.
He explained, “I think there’s probably two reasons. They overstocked, got greedy. They were going pretty cheap in the end but they bought loads and have been left with loads. People will still be trying to sell leftover stock and I can really get that because shops are losing so much money by having them in stock.”
“Or, they don’t want to lose the money, because suppliers were selling right up to the end and obviously, people are still buying them.”
Krazey Vapes is a liscensed vape shop on Dalkeith’s highstreet. When the ban took motion, Lee sold all of their disposable vape stock for a profit loss before it came into fruition. As he explained, a reason many stores have been caught selling the products is due to an overstock prior to the ban or not wanting to lose the large income the popular product was bringing in.
In 2023, prior to the ban being discussed in the UK Government, Zero Waste Scotland estimated that up to 26 million disposable vapes were consumed and thrown away that year.
At the time, Circular Economy Minister Lorna Slater said, “The public consultation demonstrated that there is strong support for tougher action on vaping. From causing fires in waste facilities to more than 26 million disposable vapes being consumed and thrown away in Scotland in the past year, single-use vapes are a threat to our environment as well as to our public health.”
Lee believes the government was forced to introduce the ban due to issues surrounding children using disposable vapes with many people accusing retailers of both selling vapes to children and even advertising to under 18’s with fruity flavours, bright colours and childish graphics.
“I think they [the UK Governemnt] were forced to do it because of the kid thing but they’ve branded it under the environmental reason. It has never been legal to sell kids’ vapes, ever. An adult can buy a vape, but these corner shops are still selling them because the customer is underage.”
“But, for example, ice cream shops. I don’t see what a vape has to do with ice cream and sweeties, that’s insane. That needs to be regulated. I personally think vapes should only be sold in vape stores and supermarkets.”
Krazey Vapes has not seen any effect on profit since the ban, with Lee explaining it has only just pushed more people onto vape liquid and pod-system vapes.
“Dispossables weren’t a massive seller, it’s more corner shops and stuff like that.”
“The ban has kind of backfired a little bit. Because, you were buying a single-use vape that you could piece together and make it into one bar but selling it as one was illegal but now selling it for the customer to piece together is legal.”
Lee highlighted that the ban has backfired in some ways as despite fully-disposable vapes being banned, vapes that are similar in style that can be pieced together are still legal. These vapes are similar in style as disposables with the only difference being a pod is inserted into the vapes body instead of coming fully together. These pods still pose danger to the environement due to being dispossable.
Krazey Vapes recently had a visit from Trading Standards after a tip-off from a customer that they were selling the illegal vapes. The Trading Standards found nothing with Lee explaining that the business was very strict on the sales of disposable vapes as soon as the ban began, stating that he won’t even allow one of the vapes on site.
In my discussion with Lee he explained to me how he believes Trading Standards and the Government can crack down on the emerging black market and what they could do better to stamp out the illegal sales.
“I think Trading Standards, Council and Police resources could be directed better and be doing other things than visiting me. I think they have been given a bigger workload for, essentially, the same job that they were supposed to do in the first place.”
“They are really going to need more staff.”
With just over a month passed since the ban, many stores have been caught selling the illegal products. Lee believes that the risk to reward these stores isn’t worth it, despite also explaining that not enough time has passed and been given to these stores to get rid of the pre-exhisting stock.
An argument can be made regarding this as the UK Government made it clear of the dates the ban would begin and the specific products that are illegal to be on sale.
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