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6

What's New?

Cooling chemicals in vapes: WS-23, WS-3 and WS-5

•
5th October 2026

RESEARCH ALERT
Some vapes use added chemicals to create a cold or icy feeling. New research has raised concerns about three of them: WS-23, WS-3 and WS-5. We do not yet know how common they are in Wales.

Cover of the ASH Wales Public attitudes to tobacco and vape regulation in Wales 2026 report
New Welsh report highlights confusion over vaping harms as duty begins

New Welsh report highlights confusion over vaping harms as duty begins

•
2nd October 2026

More than half of Welsh adults who have heard of vapes wrongly believe vaping is as harmful as smoking or worse, new ASH Wales YouGov findings show.

Illustration of modern vaping devices, e-liquid and pound symbols representing the new vaping duty
New vaping duty comes into force across Wales today

New vaping duty comes into force across Wales today

•
1st October 2026

A new UK excise duty on vaping products starts today, 1 October 2026. Here is what the £2.20 per 10ml duty, new vape duty stamps and higher tobacco duty mean in Wales.

‘Nicotine-free’ vapes found to contain nicotine

•
30th September 2026

SAFETY ALERT
UK Trading Standards tested 76 vapes sold as nicotine-free. Ten contained nicotine. This does not mean one in ten nicotine-free vapes across the UK contains nicotine.

Could nicotine products come as gels, creams or nasal inhalers?

•
30th September 2026

ON OUR RADAR
UK law was written broadly enough to cover possible future nicotine products such as gels, creams and nasal inhalers. We have not confirmed that these are established consumer products in Wales or the UK.

Caffeine pouches that look like nicotine pouches

•
30th September 2026

PRODUCT WATCH
Caffeine pouches are being sold in the UK in the same small under-the-lip format as nicotine pouches. They contain caffeine, not nicotine.

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Cooling chemicals in vapes: WS-23, WS-3 and WS-5

RESEARCH ALERT
Some vapes use added chemicals to create a cold or icy feeling. New research has raised concerns about three of them: WS-23, WS-3 and WS-5. We do not yet know how common they are in Wales.

Continue reading

New Welsh report highlights confusion over vaping harms as duty begins

Cover of the ASH Wales Public attitudes to tobacco and vape regulation in Wales 2026 report

More than half of Welsh adults who have heard of vapes wrongly believe vaping is as harmful as smoking or worse, new ASH Wales YouGov findings show.

Continue reading

New vaping duty comes into force across Wales today

Illustration of modern vaping devices, e-liquid and pound symbols representing the new vaping duty

A new UK excise duty on vaping products starts today, 1 October 2026. Here is what the £2.20 per 10ml duty, new vape duty stamps and higher tobacco duty mean in Wales.

Continue reading

‘Nicotine-free’ vapes found to contain nicotine

SAFETY ALERT
UK Trading Standards tested 76 vapes sold as nicotine-free. Ten contained nicotine. This does not mean one in ten nicotine-free vapes across the UK contains nicotine.

Continue reading

Could nicotine products come as gels, creams or nasal inhalers?

ON OUR RADAR
UK law was written broadly enough to cover possible future nicotine products such as gels, creams and nasal inhalers. We have not confirmed that these are established consumer products in Wales or the UK.

Continue reading

Caffeine pouches that look like nicotine pouches

PRODUCT WATCH
Caffeine pouches are being sold in the UK in the same small under-the-lip format as nicotine pouches. They contain caffeine, not nicotine.

Continue reading
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