At The Children’s Society, we are piloting the 'Break the Vape' programme in Essex, where we deliver support in schools and the community to help young people increase their nicotine awareness or support nicotine reduction.
Behind the smoke: How are vapes affecting young people?
In the battle to minimise the dangers of smoking and nicotine addiction, along came vaping. Vapes, sometimes called e-cigarettes, turn nicotine, flavouring, and other additives, into a mist that is inhaled into the lungs through a handheld device. Now, those addictive, plastic devices are everywhere. Particularly in the hands of many young people, despite it being illegal to sell to under-18s. Here, we explore why that is, the risks of vaping for young people, including exploitation, and what parents and carers can do about it.
Vaping stats
Nearly 1 in 10
secondary school pupils currently vape
63%
of young people believe vaping is as or more harmful than smoking
1/4
of 11 to 15-year-olds have tried vaping
Why do young people vape?
Why do young people vape?
In the efforts to reduce the dangers of smoking cigarettes, vaping became popular as it was seen as a safer alternative and a way to wean off smoking addictions.
Because it was marketed as safer, and because it was accessible with a variety of sweet flavours, vaping became popular amongst young people.
Why young people vape
Vaping is cheaper than smoking, packaged colourfully to target children, and doesn’t leave a lingering smell like a cigarette would. This makes it harder for parents and carers to identify if their child is vaping.
Whether they initially try it as part of a group, out of curiosity, or they find it a means to release stress, continually using vapes can quickly turn into a dependence on them.
What are the risks to young people?
From inflammation and irritation to long-term lung problems, vaping exposes young people to toxic chemicals that can damage the lungs and respiratory system.
While e-cigarettes do not contain the same harmful chemicals as cigarettes, like tobacco and tar, they do contain nicotine, which is addictive. The sweet flavours of the mist can mask the harshness of nicotine, leading to continued use, reduced risk perception, and increased vulnerability to addiction.
Alongside addiction, the nicotine in vapes can impair learning, concentration, and has been linked to an increased risk of anxiety and depression. Once dependent, young people may have withdrawal symptoms like irritability, difficulty focusing and trouble sleeping.
Vaping may not always be as dangerous as smoking cigarettes, but it can be a gateway to smoking cigarettes and poses risks to both mental and physical health. In some cases, there is a risk of exploitation too.
How is vaping connected to exploitation?
How is vaping connected to exploitation?
Every year, thousands of children in the UK are exploited. Some have been groomed into county lines drug trafficking, others face sexual abuse in their own communities.
Vaping and vape shops can play a role in this.
There has been an increase in the number of teenagers receiving vapes from exploitative adults as part of the grooming process.
Exploitation
In the areas across England and Wales where we run services, our work with police has identified certain shops and staff members as being more likely to sell vapes to children. Adults may even wait outside the shops, offering to buy young people vapes, presenting it as free until they realise it isn’t free and now they owe them.
From initially luring children in with the promise of vapes, to creating that sense of obligation and addiction so they keep returning, grooming adults can very easily manipulate and exploit vulnerable young people for profit and harm.
This can take the form of forced labour, human trafficking, sexual abuse, and underage recruitment to illegally sell vapes for them.
What can you do?
Open communication is key. Young people can easily feel peer-pressured or curious about things like vaping, so listen to their perspective and engage in honest conversations with them. Let them know the risks associated with vaping, as well as the law banning vapes from being sold to under-18s, in a non-judgemental way.
These conversations are easier if you know what to look out for. Many assume that 2% of nicotine is a low amount, but a vape with 20mlg (around 2%) nicotine is among the stronger vapes available. Awareness of how vapes work and their risks will help you support your child more effectively.
Be a role-model and walk the talk. If you smoke or vape and tell your child not to, they won’t listen. If they see their parent or carer making healthy lifestyle choices, they’re more likely to do the same.
Keep researching and staying up to date on the laws and trends around vaping so you can stay aware of the risks and evolution of vaping products.
