North Yorkshire adopts £100 on-the-spot fines for vaping breaches

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 27 Oct, 20:32 · Archive

North Yorkshire Council has approved fixed penalty notices of £200, reducing to £100 if paid within 14 days, for tobacco and vaping law breaches.

North Yorkshire Council has approved fixed penalty notices for breaches of new tobacco and vaping laws. The penalties are set at £200, reducing to £100 if paid within 14 days. The powers come ahead of the Tobacco and Vapes Act 2026, which comes into force on 29 October.

Council officers cautioned that the fines are unlikely to deter serious offenders involved in illegal tobacco and vape sales. A report to councillors states that many sellers of illegal products are linked to organised crime and that fixed penalties could simply become a cost of doing business rather than an effective deterrent.

Cllr Richard Foster, the council's executive member for managing the environment, said: 'The main reason is the Tobacco and Vapes Act, which allows our teams to issue fixed penalty notices for minor issues. It's a small part of what we can do, and we have bigger powers for people who are offending regularly, but this would be for an employee in a shop who doesn't know the rules.' The new powers follow growing concern about illegal vape sales in Scarborough. Earlier this month, councillors questioned Trading Standards officers about enforcement activity and the increasing number of vape shops in parts of the town.

North Yorkshire adopts £100 on-the-spot fines for vaping breaches — Image: Gazette & Herald (Malton)

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How it is being reported

North Yorkshire introduces £100 on-the-spot fines under new vaping lawsBUSINESSES and shop workers caught breaking new tobacco and vaping laws in North Yorkshire could face on-the-spot fines under powers approved by the council.Gazette & Herald (Malton) · 27 Oct, 20:00
North Yorkshire introduces £100 on-the-spot fines under new vaping lawsBUSINESSES and shop workers caught breaking new tobacco and vaping laws in North Yorkshire could face on-the-spot fines under powers approved by the council.The Press (York) · 27 Oct, 20:00

In this story: North Yorkshire Council · North Yorkshire · Richard Foster · Scarborough · Tobacco and Vapes Act 2026

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