UK doctors urge the ban of disposable vapes for youth’s safety
Children’s doctors demand a complete ban on disposable vapes because they may damage youth’s lungs and harm the environment.
But an anti-smoking movement group says a prohibition would make it harder for several adults to quit smoking and raise the business of illegal vapes.
Rishi Sunak is taking firm steps to reduce vapes among youth:
UK governments are preparing steps to lower vaping among under-18s. These will probably include stricter rules on selling and promoting vaping products.
Selling vapes or e-cigarettes to youths is forbidden, but that has not prevented a rise in 11 to 17-year-olds experimenting with vaping – from 7.7% in 2022 up to 11.6% in 2023, according to a YouGov analysis for Action on Smoking and Health (Ash).
It means that almost 15% of 16 to 17-year-olds and 18% of 18-year-olds are current vapers.
Brightly-coloured nicotine vapes in different flavours, smoked once and then thrown away, are the most favourite product among youths, who tend to get them from corner shops for almost £5 each.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak recently said it was “absurd” that vapes were created and promoted to appeal to children when they were supposed to be smoked by adults quitting smoking.
A BBC study found dangerous lead, nickel and chromium quantities in vapes seized from a secondary school, which could be inhaled into kids’ lungs. Scientists studying the vapes said they were the worst lab test results ever.
The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) now states the UK government should “without a doubt” outlaw disposable e-cigarettes.
Health professionals emphasise that smoking cigarettes having tobacco is still the single most significant reason for preventable illness and disease in the UK.
However, Dr McKean said vaping devices were “not risk-free”, and analysis on them was “still very much in its infancy”, meaning it was impossible to foresee the long-term effects on young people’s lungs, hearts and brains.
Last week, Mr Sunak said he would close a loophole letting vaping firms give free samples to kids in England and look at increasing penalties for stores selling vapes illegally. A call for proof on how to impede youth vaping ends on Tuesday.
