How the vape advert looked before the black paint came out

A PAINTED vape advert seconds from Camden High Street has been swiftly removed after it was put up without consent from the council.

The ad appeared on a well-known graffiti wall in Stucley Place.

It once saw street art murals of Amy Winehouse and anti-capitalist art painted on its bricks, but in recent years these spots in Camden Town have been snapped up by commercial interests.

This week, a spray- painted ad for “premium vape” brand Vaporesso was spotted on the wall. Using bright colours and graffiti-style designs, it features one vape decorated with a “stay cool” slogan. Paediatricians have warned that vaping ads are overwhelmingly designed to appeal to children.

Blackout! The vape ‘street art’ gets cancelled

The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health’s vice president for policy Dr Mike McKean said: “It’s clear that children and young people are being targeted by e-cigarette companies with bright packaging, exotic flavours and enticing names. These products are affordable, appealing and clearly very accessible for children and young people.

“We cannot rely on the vaping industry to regulate itself and protect children and young people. After all, the current marketing tactics, and easy access to vapes is one of the key reasons for the popularity of vapes with young people.

“We want to see e-cigarettes placed under the same restrictions that cigarettes are. This includes plain packaging of e-cigarettes and nicotine and non-nicotine e-liquids packs and limitations on advertisements. We want to see these products advertised as a smoking cessation tool – not a fun lifestyle product with exotic flavours and enticing names.”

Under the UK’s advertising regulations, e-cigarettes are banned from advertising on social media. For any other marketing, adverts “must not be likely to appeal particularly to people under 18, especially by reflecting or being associated with youth culture”.

Last month it was widely reported that the government will soon ban single-use vapes after pressure from environmentalists, councils and doctors.

Councillor Anna Wright, cabinet member for health and wellbeing said: “Planning officers have already taken enforcement action and the company have removed it. However, they’ve done a pretty messy job. So we have now requested that they do a better job of covering it and repairing the damage.

“I share the growing concern about the marketing of vapes aimed at children and young people. Vaping is not harmless.”

Vaporesso was contacted for comment.