Scotland has seen a rapid increase in the number of outlets selling vape products, with Greenock emerging as the town with the highest density per capita [1].
The proliferation of these shops raises concerns about public health access and the ease with which nicotine products enter local communities. This trend is particularly pronounced in deprived areas across Scottish towns and cities [1, 2, 3].
Data indicates a 28% increase in shops selling vape products in Scottish urban centers [2]. In 2020, there were 5,573 shops selling vapor products across the region [1].
BBC correspondent David Wallace Lockhart said the boom is driven by a lack of a formal licensing regime [1]. Current regulations allow retailers to stock these products through a simple registration process on a Scottish government portal [1, 2, 3].
Because there is no rigorous licensing system, the barrier to entry for new retailers remains low. This has led to a surge of shops in town centers, most notably in Greenock, which now holds the highest density of registrations relative to its population [1].
Critics of the current system said that the easy registration process facilitates the rapid expansion of these shops into vulnerable neighborhoods [2, 3]. The absence of zoning or licensing restrictions means that local authorities have limited power to curb the number of outlets opening in a single area [1].
“Greenock has the highest density of vape-shop registrations per head of population in Scotland.”
The concentration of vape shops in deprived areas suggests a gap in Scottish public health policy. By relying on a registration portal rather than a licensing regime, the government has prioritized ease of business over the ability to regulate the density of nicotine retailers, potentially increasing youth exposure to vaping in high-risk neighborhoods.
