Shopkeepers have spoken out on looming plans to ban disposable vapes - with many surprisingly backing calls for action. 

Government ministers are poised to ban single-use vapes following concerns over child health and environmental impact, according to reports this week.

But the news has sparked worries for some small business owners, many of whom are already struggling to stay afloat through the cost of living crisis. 

Businesses in Durham reacted to the news on Wednesday (September 13) with one vape-store worker claiming some stores are illegally selling to kids.

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The worker, who preferred to remain anonymous, told The Northern Echo: "Disposable vapes are definitely targeted at the kids - here, we're taking names and kicking a*se here. But even on this street, if you go a few doors down, you find people selling to kids, and selling illegal vapes.

"It means that trading standards are more out to get you.

 "I have people coming in and showing me things they've seen on their Instagram, and asking if we do them.

"It'll be a massive disposable device, with a gorilla on the front, or one covered in Rick and Morty cartoons.

"The other week I was shown one that looked like a Minion from the kids film, and one that looked like a Happy Meal toy. 

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"There are fantastic devices that people are choosing not to use because they just want something lazy. The disposable ones are just a pain, really."

Quaiser, a dad and manager at Durham Tech, and sister business Sweet and Spices Durham, believes a ban will do little to curb their usage among the young population but admits he worries about his kids getting their hands on the disposable vapes.

"I live locally, and my kids live locally too, so of course it worries me. I don't want kids using the vapes - but business has been slow, and I am worried about my shops," he said.

"It seems like everyone thinks it's fine for shops to close, if there are student flats above them. There are so many empty shops on this road. 

"People have less purchasing power, and are coming into shops less and less - banning vapes will just mean they'll find them online."

Black market woes already plague Trading Standards and Police, who are having to dedicate an ever-increasing amount of resources to clamping down on illegal nicotine products being sold under the counter. 

Scott Butler, executive director at Material Focus, an environmental charity, told The Guardian that a ban could lead to “hard-to-control illegal sales and an established illegal vape market”.

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The North East is already seeing the effects of an unregulated black market. Trading Standards are seizing hundreds of vapes, some of which are shaped like toys. 

The anonymous shopkeeper believes that even when the planned ban rolls into effect, their shop will be able to weather the storm. 

"We've been here before the disposable devices hit the market and will stay here after they've gone. Basically, everyone already vapes, so it'll be more work setting people up with the refillable ones, but I'm very pro the ban."