Environmental Health Officers from the Department of Health conducted targeted enforcement inspections at two retail locations on Thursday, 30 April, resulting in the seizure of a significant quantity of harmful vapes. A total of 756 vapes, valued at more than $30,000, were confiscated from shops in Devonshire and Smith’s. The products were found to contain either metatine, a toxic chemical, or nicotine levels above the legal limit. Both substances are controlled in Bermuda due to their association with addiction, lung disease, and certain cancers.
Minister of Health Kim Wilson, JP, MP, stated: “Despite warnings, these shops continued to stock illegal vapes. Keeping harmful products off our streets, and especially out of the hands of children, remains a priority for the Government. Regulating and enforcing controls on harmful products is one of the many tools we use to help prevent cancer and protect public health in Bermuda.”
These enforcement actions align with the Minister’s ongoing warnings about the health risks associated with vaping. She has consistently cautioned that vaping products containing high‑dose nicotine or toxic chemicals pose serious risks, particularly to young people, and that illegal sales undermine Bermuda’s public health protections.
Under the Pharmacy and Poisons Act 1979, nicotine‑containing vapes may only be sold in registered pharmacies by licensed pharmacists, ensuring proper age verification, professional guidance, and controlled access. This safeguard exists to protect the public by preventing unregulated exposure to addictive or harmful substances and ensuring that anyone who chooses to use these products does so under appropriate oversight.
Selling harmful vapes is a criminal offence. This includes vapes that:
- contain prescription‑only substances;
- contain substances that may only be sold by a pharmacist;
- contain more than 2.1% nicotine; or
- contain nicotine with a flavour other than mint.
Members of the public are encouraged to report shops suspected of selling illegal vapes by contacting Environmental Health at 246‑7766 or by emailing envhealth@gov.bm.
