Ellie Ames 24 January 2024

Half of young vapers never regularly smoked, study finds

Half of young vapers never regularly smoked, study finds image
Image: Alena Lom / Shutterstock.com

A new study has found that 316,000 young people who use disposable vapes never regularly smoked tobacco, but warns that banning the vape products would risk causing relapse among ex-smokers.

The proportion of adults in Britain using disposable e-cigarettes rose from 0.1% to 4.9% between January 2021 and August 2023, according to a UCL study, which was funded by Cancer Research UK.

Use of disposal vapes was higher among18- to 24-year-olds (14.4%).

Use among people who had never regularly smoked was rare (1.5%), but higher among 18- to 24-year-olds (7.1%), equivalent to 316,000 young people in Britain.

According to the report, while vaping is ‘much less harmful than smoking, it carries more risks than neither vaping nor smoking’, and so preventing the uptake of vaping among people who have never regularly smoked is a ‘public health priority’.

The Government is considering responses to its consultation on ‘creating a smoke free generation’, which includes proposals to restrict, or prohibit, the sale of disposable vaping products, citing the environmental impacts of disposable vapes and concern about increasing use among children and young people.

Lead author Dr Sarah Jackson warned that a ban on disposal vapes would impact 1.2 million people who smoke and would benefit from switching to e-cigarettes, and 744,000 ex-smokers who may be at risk of relapse.

Dr Jackson said: ‘While banning disposables might seem like a straightforward solution to reduce youth vaping, it could have substantial unintended consequences for people who smoke.

‘In the event of a ban, it would be important to encourage current and ex-smokers who use disposables to switch to other types of e-cigarettes rather than going back to just smoking tobacco.’

The £37,000 SEND Problem image

The £37,000 SEND Problem

Natalie Kenneison, COO at Imosphere, argues that the real SEND funding crisis isn’t just about budgets - it’s about the systems behind the decisions.
SIGN UP
For your free daily news bulletin
Highways jobs

Director of Law & Governance

South Kesteven District Council
c. £110k inc.
Effective decision-making in local government leads to better outcomes for communities. Lincolnshire
Recuriter: South Kesteven District Council

Regeneration Manager

West Northamptonshire Council
£65,098 - £71,353
The Major Projects and Regeneration Team, part of our Place, Economy and Environment directorate, is at the heart of delivering this vision. Working with government, private sector partners and our local communities, we are driving forward projects funded One Angel Square 4 Angel Street Northampton
Recuriter: West Northamptonshire Council

Director of Streetscene

Fareham Borough Council
£92,027 - £105,394 (Director Grade) Pay award pending
We continue to have big ambitions for our borough Fareham, Hampshire
Recuriter: Fareham Borough Council

Shared Lives Social Worker

Oxfordshire County Council
£37,035 - £43,693
About the Role Your role will be working with Shared Lives Carers and people who use the service to ensure that there is a good outcome for everyone. Assessing people for their suitability to become carers, presenting assessment reports to the Shared Live Abingdon with some agile working/working from home
Recuriter: Oxfordshire County Council

Lawyer Employment

Durham County Council
£45,718 to £49,764 p.a. (Grade 13) pay award pending
An opportunity for an Employment Lawyer has become available to work at Durham County Council as part of the Legal and Democratic Services Team. Durh Durham
Recuriter: Durham County Council
Linkedin Banner