One million students vaping yet many have never smoked

New estimates suggest that, since disposable vapes became available in 2021, one million adults have started vaping, despite never having been regular smokers. 

This surge is driven by young adults between the ages of 18 and 24; about one out of every seven are now using e-cigarettes, even if they have never regularly smoked.  

The most alarming factor in this trend is the additional increase in children who vape. While it is illegal to sell vapes containing nicotine to under-18s, figures by health charity Action on Smoking and Health show that nearly 8% of 11-17-year-olds vaped in April 2023. 

This is an increase of 4% from 2020, and within that age group, 20% had tried vaping, with cheap brightly coloured disposable vapes driving the increase from 14% three years ago. 

While the hike in vape use continues to stagger upwards, the number of smokers in the UK has declined greatly in the past 12 years. Fewer than one out of every 10 young adults in the UK smoke cigarettes, compared with a quarter of 18-24-year-olds 12 years ago, according to official estimates.  

According to doctors, vaping has the potential to lead to long-term lung, heart, and brain damage, due to the inhalation of chemicals including nicotine. 

Although smoking is known to be drastically worse for health than vaping, Dr Sarah Jackson, lead researcher at University College London, stated: “For those who would not have gone on to smoke, vaping regularly over a sustained period poses more risk than not vaping.”  

Therefore, despite e-cigarettes and vapes being nowhere near as harmful as smoking cigarettes, in the absence of smoking, regular vaping by itself can cause just as much damage.  

According to doctors, vaping has the potential to lead to long-term lung, heart, and brain damage, due to the inhalation of chemicals including nicotine.  

Campaigners have called for action to minimise vaping among young people and adults with no history of smoking. However, a complete ban on disposable vapes has proven to be ineffective, with reusable vapes still available to purchase with similar colourful marketing and prices. 

Professor Jamie Brown, at UCL, stated: “A sensible next step would be to introduce stricter regulation around product appearance, packaging and marketing.”  

Hazel Cheeseman, chief executive at ASH, echoed this view, arguing: “The aggressive marketing of products to young people means the government urgently needs to bring back the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, to regulate vape flavours, marketing and branding.”