Blackburn features in a top 10 list of places in the UK where people are searching for illegal vapes.

Terms included ‘crystal pro max,’ ‘r and m tornado’, and ‘9000 puff vape’. 

Online vape retailer Vapekit.co.uk analysed the monthly search volume for illegal vapes over the past 12 months.

The search volume was compared to each area’s population to determine the final ranking.    
   
It’s illegal to sell vapes containing more than 2ml of e-liquid (equivalent to roughly 600 puffs) in the UK.

However, illegal vapes containing more than 15 times the legal limit of liquid, are freely circulating across the country.  
  
It’s believed that a third of vapes currently sold in the UK are non-compliant, and this figure could rise significantly with the impending ban on disposable vapes due in 2025. 

The most prolific area for searches relating to illegal vaping products was Croydon followed by Carlisle and Batley.

Blackburn was ninth with an average search volume of 255 per 100,000 residents. Popular vape searches in Blackburn include the ‘Crystal Pro Max’, which makes up 155 of the town’s searches. Eleven of Blackburn’s vape searches are for the ‘Crystal Pro Max 4000’, which is also illegal in the UK when containing nicotine.

Bolton came in fourth with an average monthly search volume of 302 per 100,000 people. 22 of the town’s searches are for the ‘R and M Tornado 9000’, and 12 of these searches are for the ‘Crystal Prime 7000’. Due to the product’s high puff count, the ‘Crystal Prime 7000’ is illegal in the UK when containing nicotine.

Data was gathered from Google Keyword Planner, which provides monthly and annual Google search volume data for key phrases and terms across the UK and for each UK region.  

Fifty-six search terms were used to source data from the past 12 months, including: ‘Aroma King’ and ‘Crystal Bling 6000’.  

Managing director of Vapekit.co.uk, Guy Lawler, said: “It’s incredibly concerning to see how illegal vapes are becoming more sought after in the UK, with many consumers having no idea that the products they’re buying are untested and potentially unsafe.  
   
"Retailers have a responsibility to adhere to UK vape regulations, but still, there are rogue operators, both on the high street and online, who openly sell illegal products and make no attempt to verify whether or not buyers are over 18. 

"Vapes are meant to help people quit smoking, but the ever-growing black market is putting people’s health at risk. Some of these non-compliant products even feature cartoon characters that attract younger people who should not be vaping. 

"With the announcement on 6th March of the introduction of a new vape tax in 2026, and the pending ban on disposable vapes, it is feared the UK black market could grow exponentially as UK consumers find they are unable to source the products they want legally and affordably. 

"The proposed vape tax will result in a 300% increase in cost for many vapers with those from low-income households hit the hardest.  

"We strongly urge the government to prioritise public health and clamp down on black market importers and retailers as a matter of urgency.”