Caution As Vape Use Increases Every Year In School Children
Following numerous studies over the past few years, NHS and ASH research have found that vape use increases every year in UK school children.
Smoking, Drinking and Drug Use among Young People in England, 2021 – a study by NHS digital, that came out in September 2022, revealed that 9% of school children aged 11-15 regularly use e-cigarettes. This is a 6% rise since 2018, when a similar study was conducted.
Children’s Vape Use Increases
The report revealed that 20% of 15-year-old girls in the UK use e-cigarettes, and 18% of all 15-year-olds are regular users of these devices.
Furthermore, the proportion of individuals who are regular smokers and also use e-cigarettes has significantly increased in the UK, more than doubling from 29% in 2018 to 61% in 2021.
The NHS statistics also revealed that 23% of school children who meet people outside of school every day are current vapers. This is a huge rate compared to the 1% of school children who reported vaping but do not socialise outside of home or school.
In addition, students who always attended school in person in the last school year were twice as likely to be current e-cigarette users (14%) compared to those who attended school remotely for all or most of the school year (7%).
Has vape use increased since 2021?
Vape use among young people in Great Britain has worryingly increased even further since the NHS Digital Study.
An Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) survey found that between in March/April 2023, the rate at which children experimented with vaping had increased by 50% year over year, rising from one in thirteen to one in nine. Awareness of e-cigarette promotions among children has also increased, especially in retail environments where over half of all children report seeing e-cigarettes advertised.
Online, nearly one-third of children notice promotions for e-cigarettes. Furthermore, only 20% of children now claim they never see vapes promoted, a decrease from 31% the previous year. It remains illegal to sell e-cigarettes to anyone under the age of 18 in the United Kingdom, with “children” referring to those aged 11 to 17 years old.
Health Hazards Of Vape Use In Children
E-cigarettes contain nicotine, which is highly addictive and dangerous substance for children to ingest, though it is not a substance that is directly hazardous to adults.
Dangers of Nicotine Consumption In Children
- Using nicotine can harm brain regions responsible for managing attention, learning, mood, and impulse control, which are key developmental areas in young adults.
- Nicotine can negatively impact the developing adolescent brain, which continues to mature until about age 25.
- As adolescents create new memories or learn new skills, their brains form stronger synaptic connections between brain cells more rapidly than adult brains. Nicotine can alter the formation of these synapses.
- Furthermore, using nicotine during these formative years may also heighten the risk of future addiction to other substances.
Measures To Stop The Increase In Child Vape Use
Vaping cannot remain as available as it has been to children, as while it may be beneficial in helping adult smokers quit cigarettes, they can be health hazards in the hands of developing children. Regulations are changing to try and restrict youth access.
The UK Tobacco and Vapes Bill 2024 will be regulating vape flavours in order to make them less attractive to children, while also introducing standardised packaging and changing their point of sale in shops. I have written a full breakdown of the proposals and effects of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill for a further breakdown.
In addition to this, disposable vapes are being banned across the UK, which should come into force by 2025.
Although children should absolutely not be vaping, it’s worth noting that vaping is significantly safer for your body than smoking cigarettes, and smokers will benefit from making the switch.
A Balanced View On UK Vape Use
Vaping has become a polarising topic in public discourse, with strong opinions often overshadowing the subtleties and complexities of the issue.
Remembering the Smokers
It serves us well to remember that vaping, though not without its concerns, has been instrumental for many smokers in transitioning away from traditional cigarettes.
According to Public Health England, vaping is estimated to be 95% less harmful than smoking, a statistic that cannot be ignored.
Millions have swapped the tar and toxins of traditional cigarettes for their electronic counterparts, resulting in improved respiratory health and overall well-being.
Youth Vape Use – A Cause for Concern
Nevertheless, one cannot turn a blind eye to the surge in vape use among the youth. The enticing flavours and modern gadgets have unwittingly made e-cigarettes appealing to minors, leading to a new generation potentially addicted to nicotine.
This is undeniably a grave concern and calls for strict regulations to curtail youth access to these products. However, it is worth noting the unintended positive consequence – a plummet in traditional smoking rates among minors.
The Role of Disposable Vapes
The rise in youth vape use can be largely attributed to the proliferation of disposable vapes.
These devices, often affordable and requiring no setup or initial purchase of a vape kit, have unfortunately made it easier for minors to access vaping products.
The convenience and accessibility of disposable vapes has seen them banned in the UK, in order to mitigate their use by minors.
Strengthening Age Verification Protocols
There’s a significant gap that we can’t ignore any longer – the ease with which young people bypass age checks to access vaping products. We have rules in place, but let’s face it, they’re not always enforced with the rigour they deserve. This inconsistency is not just a legal issue; it’s a moral one, touching the very core of our social responsibility.
Here’s where the alarm bells are ringing the loudest: online sales. Honestly, how many times have we come across an online vape store with a pop-up that only requires a visitor to click a button to confirm they’re of legal age? It’s hardly a foolproof system, is it? Such laxity doesn’t just undermine the law but throws open the doors to young individuals, offering them unfettered access to vaping products.
We need to roll up our sleeves and tackle this issue head-on. A comprehensive review of the age verification process is long overdue. We should be looking at cutting-edge technologies that make the age check as stringent as possible and penalties that make retailers think twice about bypassing the rules.
This isn’t just a job for regulators or store owners; it’s a collective responsibility. We all have a part to play in ensuring that vaping retains its integrity as a tool for smokers to quit, without exposing a new generation to nicotine addiction.
An Unintended Positive Consequence?
Cigarettes, with their known lethal consequences, have seen a significant decline in popularity amongst the younger generation. The allure of vaping, whilst problematic, has inadvertently contributed to this decline.
In navigating this complex landscape, it is imperative to remember that for adult smokers, vaping can be a lifeline. Condemnation without consideration of its benefits may strip smokers of a potentially life-saving transition tool.
Summary – Striking the Right Balance
A more nuanced approach, one that recognises the value for smokers looking to quit whilst addressing the serious concerns surrounding youth vaping, is paramount.
Vapes are a means for smokers to veer away from the difficult path of traditional smoking but also a pathway that could lead the uninitiated youth into the clutches of nicotine addiction, while harming key developmental areas of their brain.
It’s important to note that the best UK vape stores will sell legal vaping equipment and avoid selling it to minors.
