Phase Out Vaping: Protecting Youth from a New Addiction
Addiction Economy Thought for Today - The latest study published in the Lancet showed that 1 million UK adults now vape who have never smoked; and young adults, specifically those who drink, are by far the biggest users.
This is not an accident. The trajectory of vaping use is exactly as we predicted. It is clear from just looking at the product that the target audience for the disposable vapes was never smokers, it was always an intentional commercial strategy to make vaping a new recreational addiction in the social lives of young people.
This is why we urge the government to phase out vapes alongside smoking with a medically agreed time lag of, say, two years. Vapes have to be re-attached to smoking and should not become a normalised addiction like coffee or alcohol.
As Joe said in our press release "Being addicted to anything is no fun. But because of their unique design, vapes are a particularly addictive, expensive, environmentally disastrous, 24/7 habit which wrecks your concentration and harms your lungs'
Here are our 5 recommendations:
1. PHASE OUT VAPING WITH SMOKING
The rationale for allowing vapes to be legally available is to help smokers quit, so there will be no need for them to be purchased by anyone for whom smoking is illegal. Vapes should therefore be phased out with smoking, with a medically agreed lag time of, say, 2 years.
2. HELP GPS AND SCHOOLS RESPOND TO QUESTIONS ABOUT VAPING
There is plenty of funding and guidance on how to take up vaping to help quit smoking. A Google search for ‘how to quit vaping’ currently promotes the NHS website page about how to start vaping to help smokers quit, with Vaping Myths comparing vapes only to smoking. This is not relevant to non-smoking vapers, leaving them confused and healthcare professionals unsure how to respond.
3. PROVIDE IMMEDIATE FUNDING FOR VAPING UN-ADDICTION
NHS and local council cessation services report many young people are anxious that they are too dependent on their vapes and want help to quit. But they are having to turn away those who want help quitting vaping because they don’t have funding to respond to the demand.
4. HELP SCHOOLS HELP THEIR PUPILS
School is also an important setting to engage and educate students in discussions about vaping. But a top down ‘here are the facts’ approach will be counterproductive. A more deliberative approach is essential, where students explore these issues among themselves with prompts for discussion about vaping concerns and the drivers of usage.
5. ENSURE SPECIFIC HEALTH RESEARCH ON VAPING & YOUNG PEOPLE
More research is needed on the psychological and mental health effects of vaping, particularly in young people. The damage to their mental and physical health is real, it is happening now and specialists consider it will only increase as vape dependency in young people continues over time.
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