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.
New & emerging products / Alerts
Product Watch: what’s new and changing
New nicotine and vape products can appear quickly. We track what is showing up, what the evidence says and what parents, schools and communities may want to know.
Being on this page does not mean a product is widespread in Wales. Every alert explains what we know, what we do not know and where the information comes from.
Latest alert: loading…
START HERE
What you need to know
Use the latest alerts below to see what has changed and why it matters.
Each alert tells you what we know, what we do not know and where the information comes from.
How to read an alert
1 · SIGNAL TYPE
What kind of signal is it?
MARKET · WELSH SAFETY · RESEARCH · POLICY / LEGAL
What triggered the alert.
2 · EVIDENCE STATUS
How strong is the evidence?
CONFIRMED · EMERGING · EVIDENCE GAP
An evidence gap can sit alongside any signal.
3 · SCOPE
Where does the evidence apply?
WALES · GB · UK · INTERNATIONAL
The geography is shown on every alert.
EXAMPLE
WELSH SAFETY · CONFIRMED · WALES
Read left to right: signal type · evidence status · geographic scope. An evidence gap is a caveat, not a signal type.
Latest Product Watch alerts
What’s new
The newest product, safety, research and law updates we think are useful to know about.
Being listed here does not mean a product is widespread in Wales. Each alert explains what we know, what we do not know and where the evidence comes from.
Loading the latest alerts…
All Product Watch alerts
Find an alert
Search by a product name or term, or use one of the simple filters below.
Loading all alerts…
How something becomes an ASH Wales alert
We do not publish an alert just because a product appears in a social post, one school hears a rumour or a brand makes a dramatic claim. We look for at least one credible signal:
Market
A product or format is verified on the UK market or named in official UK guidance.
Welsh safety
Welsh testing, surveillance or public-health intelligence identifies a relevant substance, substitution or pattern.
Research
Peer-reviewed or public-agency research identifies a product, chemical or health issue worth tracking.
Policy / legal
Law, regulation, official guidance or a formal consultation changes, or may change, how a product is sold, promoted or treated.
Rumour alone is not enough. If we cannot verify a claim, it stays off the public alert list until stronger evidence appears.
How we decide what becomes an alert
We do not publish an alert just because something appears in a rumour or one social post.
We look for at least one solid reason: a product we can verify on the UK market, Welsh testing or intelligence, credible research from a trusted body, or a confirmed law or policy change.
Each alert links to its sources. If stronger evidence changes the picture, we update or remove the alert.