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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Free, practical material from ASH Wales. Find details, guidance and downloads below.
This easy-to-read leaflet explains what “social smoking” and occasional nicotine use mean. It challenges common myths about only smoking or vaping on nights out and explains that occasional use can still involve nicotine exposure and, for some people, contribute to dependence.
Visit our Information hub for practical guidance on smoking, vaping, nicotine and the law.
Nicofiends helps young people spot pressure, marketing and nicotine tricks through games and activities.