Nearly one million children have tried vaping, study says

Around 980,000 – or almost one in five – of 11 to 17 year olds have tried vaping, according to new data.

While more than half (53%) had only tried vaping once or twice, only 1.3% of participants said they no longer vaped. Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) estimates that 230,000 children vape more than once a week.

The charity said: ‘There is an indication that young vapers may be more dependent than they were four years ago, with more current vapers reporting strong urges to vape compared to 2020. This suggests that newer products may be increasing dependency, underscoring the urgency for stronger regulations.’

Despite age restrictions on vaping products, 48% of underage vape users said they bought them in shops. Disposable vapes remain the most common product (54%), though this had reduced from previous data at 69%. ASH suggests that this is due to wider availability of reusable vape products.

The data was collected through the Smokefree GB Youth survey of 2,872 participants aged 11 to 18.

Promotion of vaping to children

Nearly three quarters (72%) of the 11 to 17 age group reported exposure to vape promotion. This occurred most commonly in shops (55%) and online (29%).

It was recently confirmed that the Tobacco and Vapes Bill proposed in 2023 would go ahead under the new government. This bill would include measures to limit the advertising of vaping products to children. It would also gradually raise the legal smoking age, prohibiting the sale of tobacco to anyone born from 2009.

ASH said it was ‘disappointed’ that the bill had not been pushed through before the summer parliamentary recess. Deputy chief executive Hazel Cheeseman said: ‘The sustained level of youth vaping and evidence that dependency may be increasing sets alarm bells ringing.

‘The tobacco and vapes bill must be brought back immediately after summer recess, and fast tracked through parliament, so urgently needed regulations to protect young people from vaping can be implemented.

‘Vaping is an important tool to help adults quit and it should be regulated accordingly, to prevent e-cigarettes being packaged and promoted as though they were children’s toys.’

‘It is time for change’

In July, ASH welcomed the announcement that the bill would go ahead due to its potential economic benefits. Chief executive Deborah Arnott said: ‘Today’s announcement puts us in pole position to be the first country in the world to end smoking.

‘Smoking puts pressure on our NHS and social care system, but the greatest financial impact is the damage to our economy due to lost productivity.

‘The measures announced today will play a major role in helping government achieve its ambition to halve the difference in healthy life expectancy between the richest and poorest regions, and deliver productivity growth in every part of the country.’

The charity shared the testimonial of cancer survivor Sue Mountain, who began smoking at the age of 11. She said: ‘I don’t want people in the future to go through the worry, the pain, the guilt and the loss of income I went through with smoking and cancer.

‘It is appalling to think 160 families every day are devastated because of tobacco companies selling their lethal products – it is time for change.

‘Our NHS is struggling and the amount of people getting cancer because of tobacco is adding to this. This is why I am delighted that the tobacco and vapes bill will be a priority for this government.

‘It will be wonderful for me to think my grandchildren will hopefully grow up into a world where smoking has become a thing of the past.’

‘A monumental stride in public health policy’

Experts in various areas of healthcare have also praised the bill. Oral Health Foundation chief executive Nigel Carter said: ‘This bill is a monumental stride in public health policy. Reducing tobacco and vape usage will not only decrease the prevalence of oral health issues but also enhance overall wellbeing.’

The Association of Directors of Public Health said that the bill is the most impactful single change that the government could make. President Greg Fell said: ‘Phasing out smoking will save thousands of lives, help protect the next generation from ever becoming addicted to this lethal product and do more to narrow the unacceptably large gap in healthy life expectancy between the richest and poorest regions than any other single measure.’

The SPECTRUM research consortium stressed the need to retain legal vaping for adults as an anti-smoking measure. Director Linda Bauld said: ‘The tobacco and vapes bill will also ensure our governments have the powers they need to curb youth vaping while ensuring nicotine vapes remain accessible to adults so people who smoke have access to the most effective quitting aid.’

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