Wednesday June 3rd 2026
Vapes
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Stuart Sommerville
Linlithgow’s Lib Dem councillor has plans to call for greater controls on vape shops.
The traders have sprung up on almost every high street including Linlithgow in the last decade. Councillor Sally Pattle thinks the time is right to call for Holyrood legislation.
Following a disastrous fire in Glasgow city centre in March, which destroyed a historic listed building in the heart of the city the stores have been labelled “powder kegs” as there is little in existing legislation to ensure safety.
The vape devices contain lithium ion batteries, which are recognised as a serious fire risk.
Fire crews have already tackled blazes at waste treatment centres where lithium ion batteries have been incorrectly disposed of.
Councillor Pattle told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that she was working across political parties to bring a motion before the next meeting of the council demanding an upgrade in the laws to recognise the potential danger.
A fire officer told a meeting of the Linlithgow Local Area Committee he would report back to councillors on the current situation.
Gordon Brodie confirmed in answers to questions from all councillors, including Labour’s Tom Conn and the SNP’s Pauline Orr, that the SFRS was aware of the potential dangers.
He told Councillor Conn that local fire crews were aware of where vape shops had opened in Linlithgow and other towns.
He added that the fire service had backed national campaigns on the safe disposal of batteries and SFRS.
Councillor Orr asked if there had been an increase in vehicle fires related to lithium ion batteries. Mr Brodie said he was not aware of an increase.
Vape shops are legally classified as “general retail premises”. They are not subject to mandatory fire safety risk audits unless a complaint is made, a fire occurs, or they fall into a localised risk-based audit. SFRS officers can visit vape traders and give safety guidance.
There is no existing legislation which gives the council controls over vape shops either through planning regulations or through Trading Standards.
At a recent meeting of the Local Area Committee a planning officer confirmed there is no licensing by the council through Trading Standards but vape sellers have to be on a national trade register.
From a planning point of view a shop selling vapes is treated in the same way as any Class 1A trader, such as a hairdresser or baker.
“From a regulatory point of view there’s very little,” the officer, Matthew Watson, told Linlithgow councillors.
Councillor Pattle said: “So legislation would have to come from the Scottish Government. It doesn’t feel as if the regulatory framework has kept up with the changes that have happened on high streets.
“It’s not just Linlithgow or West Lothian, but all over Scotland. These products weren’t around 10 years ago.”
Councillor Pattle told the LDRS: “I am hopeful we can start a national campaign and get as many local authorities as possible to sign up – that’s what happened to help drive both the banning of single use vapes.”
She said that the Lib Dems were working on a national policy regarding vape shops but on a West Lothian level she hoped to build a cross party support for a call for legislation.
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