Colourful, sweet-flavoured disposable vapes could be a thing of the past in Britain due to concerns that they are disproportionately targeted at young people.
The trendy e-cigarettes come in a range of bright colours and have flavours such as Cotton Candy and Strawberry Kiwi – so it’s no surprise that concerns have been raised surrounding their appeal to younger people.
How Popular Are Disposable Vapes With Young People?
Is this all a panic over nothing? Are people overreacting to the surge in popularity of e-cigarettes?
Well, to put it plainly: no.
According to NHS statistics, 9 percent of 11 to 15 year olds used e-cigarettes; an increase from 6 percent only three years earlier. This data combined with statistics from Action on Smoking and Health stating that 29.1 percent of 16 to 17 year olds having tried vaping paints a concerning picture.
So, How Do We Get Young People to Bin Disposable Vapes?
Public Health Minister Neil O’Brien is launching a call for evidence ahead of potential restrictions. His review will consider the appearance and characteristics of disposable vapes on the market which will include branding, marketing, colour and of course, flavours.
Additionally, a specific focus will be placed onto social media marketing, reviewing whether these products are targeted deliberately towards younger audiences.
O’Brien will also be responding to an independent review by Dr Javed Khan OB which examined the UK government’s goal of making England and Wales smoke-free by 2030.
His review included suggestions for making these vapes less appealing by mandating anti-smoking messages on packaging, similar to what already appears on cigarette packets and using less attractive colours such as green and brown to make them less aesthetically pleasing to vapers.
A spokeswoman for the Department of Health and Social Care said: “While vaping is a preferable alternative to smoking for adults, we are concerned about the rise in youth vaping, particularly the increasing use of disposable vaping products.
“We are exploring a range of measures to address this, including clamping down on children accessing vapes illegally, and those who are getting them hooked on nicotine. It’s right for the government to do all it can to protect children from addiction.”
Is Vaping Bad For You?
Vaping is a very popular alternative to smoking and has been a route to quitting smoking all together. In fact, a 2021 review found that those who used e-cigarettes to quit smoking, as well as expert face-to-face support can be twice as likely to succeed as those who chose other nicotine replacement products.
Although e-cigarettes pose a much lower health risk than smoking, they are not without risk. The liquid and vapour in e-cigarettes can contain harmful chemicals and the nicotine found in them can still be a route into nicotine addiction.
Currently, it is still illegal to sell or supply cigarette and e-cigarette products to people under the age of 18
As stated by the NHS, ‘vaping is substantially less harmful than smoking but that doesn’t mean that it is harmless’.
Looking for Help to Quit Vaping?
Whether you started e-cigarettes as a replacement for smoking or out of curiosity, you may now be looking to quit all kinds of smoking altogether. The NHS recommends reducing the frequency of vaping over time, gradually and gradually reducing the strength of nicotine in your e-liquid.
It is also worth discussing your addiction with your GP to see if there are any options available to you such as medication or guided support.