One in ten secondary school pupils in England now use e-cigarettes, according to official data which illustrates the scale of the country’s vaping epidemic.
Teenagers are shunning tobacco in favour of the trendy electronic devices, the latest must-have accessory to grace classrooms. Their steep rise in popularity has sparked warnings that the UK is slowly sleepwalking into a public health ‘catastrophe’.
Leading experts today said they were ‘deeply disturbed’ by how desired the gadgets — which can cost as little as £4 — have become, accusing manufacturers of preying on children with colourful packaging, fruity flavours and trendy names.
Fresh calls for a clamp down on advertising rules have also been made, with the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health demanding tough action to stop ‘generations of children’ becoming hooked on nicotine.
NHS Digital, which quizzed nearly 10,000 students aged 11 to 15 on their smoking, drug and drinking habits last year, found that nine per cent currently vape — the highest rate logged since the survey began in 2014.
Girls appear to be driving the trend, with the vape rate doubling among them in the last three years, while it has remained flat among boys for five years.
As well as firms targeting children, experts have blamed the rise on social media, where videos showing off vape smoke tricks have racked up tens of millions of views. A Government-funded report this year found that almost half of users had watched vape videos on TikTok, Instagram or Snapchat.
While the prevalence of vaping has gathered steam — jumping 50 per cent in just three years — the proportion lighting up traditional cigarettes has flatlined. One in 33 pupils now smoke tobacco, compared to a peak of one in four in the 1990s.
NHS Digital, which quizzed nearly 10,000 students aged 11 to 15 on their smoking, drug and drinking habits last year, found that nine per cent currently vape — the highest rate logged since the survey began in 2014
While the e-cigarette rate has soared — jumping 50 per cent in three years — the proportion lighting up traditional cigarettes has flatlined. One in 33 pupils now smoke tobacco, compared to a peak of one in four in the 1990s
Advertised as a healthier alternative to smoking, e-cigs allow people to inhale nicotine in a vapour — produced by heating a liquid, which typically contains propylene glycol, glycerine, flavourings, and other chemicals
It is illegal to sell vapes to under-18s. However, there has been reports of children buying them directly from shops. Pictured: e-cigarettes displayed in the window of a vape shop in London
Advertised as a healthier alternative to smoking, e-cigs allow people to inhale nicotine in a vapour — produced by heating a liquid, which typically contains propylene glycol, glycerine, flavourings, and other chemicals.
Unlike traditional cigs, they do not contain tobacco, nor do they produce tar or carbon — which are two of the most dangerous elements.
Today, some 3.6 million Britons use e-cigs, reflected by the fact vape shops are now more common on British High Streets than Italian restaurants.
NHS Digital quizzed around 9,000 pupils in years 7 to 11 on their smoking, alcohol and drug use between September 2020 and July 2021.
Results show that 10 per cent of girls and 7 per cent of boys are current e-cigarette users.
Uptake among boys has been flat since 2016. But the rate has doubled among girls in just three years, while the proportion who are regular users has increased five-fold.
The rate rises sharply among older pupils. Among 15-year-olds, one in five girls and one in seven boys vape, compared to one in 100 boys and girls aged 11.
However, the proportion of all students who have ever tried vaping has dropped from a 25 per cent in 2018 to 22 per cent in 2021.
Around three-quarters of current vapers are also regular or occasional smokers. Only three per cent have never smoked.
Friends (45 per cent), newsagents (41 per cent) and relatives (35 per cent) are the most likely sources of e-cigarettes for student vapers.
It is illegal to sell vapes to under-18s.
However, there has been reports of children buying them directly from shops.
TikTok and Instagram are also awash with individuals offering to sell the gadgets to children. Discreet postage and packaging, including hiding them in boxes of chocolates to throw parents off the scent, is routinely on offer.
A Government-commissioned review published in June recommended a review of vape flavours to ensure they don’t appeal to young people.
E-cigarettes available on the British market today offer sweet-tasting puffs of pink lemonade, bubblegum and cotton candy.
The paper, by former children’s charity chief Javed Khan, also recommended that cartoons and images on vaping products be banned.
Vaping websites have previously been caught advertising products next to a picture of sweets spilling out of a jar while five brightly coloured bottles presented under a banner reading ‘scrumdiddlyumptious’.
Their cheap price has also been criticised, with popular Chinese-made Elf Bars and Geek Bars available for less than a fiver. With a built-in battery, they can be used straight from the box and deliver the nicotine equivalent of about 50 cigarettes.
Two in five pupils say they have ever had alcohol — down by four per cent compared to 2018 — while the number of regulars drinkers is flat
One in six students say they have ever taken drugs — down by a quarter in three years. Cannabis remains the most popular drug, followed by nitrous oxide and so-called ‘legal highs’
Earlier this year, a Government-backed survey carried out on behalf of Action on Smoking and Health found that the proportion of 11 to 17-year-olds who have tried vaping jumped from 14 to 16 per cent between 2020 and 2022. The findings are based on results from a poll of 2,613 children across Britain
The results show that underage vapers were most likely to get their vapes from shops (47 per cent), while 10 per cent bought them online and 43 per cent are given them
Action on Smoking and Health polled thousands of Britons on their e-cigarette habits. Results showed almost half of 18 to 24-year-olds (48 per cent) used vapes. The figure stood at 19 per cent among 25 to 34-year-olds and 11 per cent among 35 to 44-year-olds
Action on Smoking and Health research revealed four in 10 e-cigarette users opt for fruit-flavoured vapes, while a fifth choose mint or methol options
NHS Digital, which quizzed nearly 10,000 students aged 11 to 15 last year, found that nine per cent currently vape — the highest rate logged since the survey began in 2014. Girls appear to be driving the trend, with the vape rate doubling among them in the last three years, while it has remained flat among boys for five years
Campaigners have called for more funding to enforce the laws against underage sales, action on child-friendly packaging and labelling, as well as promotion on social media.
US regulators have already taken action to limit the sale of e-cigarettes, banning fruit and mint-flavoured products. It also stopped leading vape manufacturer Juul from selling its products in the country as part of a crackdown on companies that have the biggest share of the vape selling market.
In an attempt to put children off smoking, the UK Government raised the legal smoking age from 16 to 18 in 2007. It also banned menthol cigarettes in 2020 and has pledges to make the nation smoke-free by 2030.
Dr Mike McKean, from the RCPCH, said he was ‘deeply disturbed’ by the figures.
He said: ‘E-cigarettes remain a relatively new product and their long-term effects are still unknown.
‘It is clear that children and young people are being targeted by e-cigarette companies with bright packaging, exotic flavours and enticing names.
‘Disposable e-cigarettes are growing in popularity amongst children and young people and can be accessed easily in news agents and sweet shops.
‘Nowadays there is a vape shop on almost every high street.
‘These companies are simply interested in “hooking” children and young people to make a profit off them – there is absolutely no thought or care about their health and wellbeing.
‘It is time for the UK Government to act by introducing plain packaging of e-cigarettes and nicotine and non-nicotine e-liquids packs.
‘Tighter restrictions on advertising of vaping products are also needed to ensure these products are only advertised for their medicinal purpose as a smoking reduction aid rather than a fun and colourful lifestyle product.
‘If action is not taken soon, we run the risk of having generations of children addicted to nicotine.’
Ian Hamilton, an addiction expert at the University of York, told MailOnline young people are likely turning to e-cigarettes as they perceive it as ‘safe in comparison to traditional cigarettes’.
While e-cigarettes still contain addictive nicotine and other potentially harmful flavourants and particles, they are not thought to be as detrimental to health as tobacco. The devices have therefore been floated as a potential prescription product for those trying to quit traditional cigarettes.
However, the liquid and vapour from e-cigarettes has been linked to lung inflammation, chronic coughs, shortness of breath and lung disease.
Mr Hamilton said: ‘It is really worrying to see this rise in vaping as we still don’t know what the long term effects will be on young people as they develop into adulthood.
‘The Covid pandemic will have had a significant impact on young people’s drug use as they had fewer opportunities to mix and to party due to restrictions in place at the time.’
Professor Ann McNeill, a tobacco addiction expert at King’s College London who is writing a Government review of e-cigarettes, said: ‘The rise in youth vaping is concerning and we need to understand what lies behind this, such as packaging, accessibility, taste or addictiveness.
‘Our response must be proportionate however, given smoking is a much bigger risk. The Government should ensure existing laws are enforced and identify where regulations could be extended.’
Meanwhile, the NHS Digital report shows that the proportion of pupils who currently smoke dropped from 5 per cent in 2018 to 3 per cent in 2021 — the lowest level since that survey began in 1982. The rate peaked at 22 per cent in 1996 and has been trending downwards ever since.
As with vaping, the rate is higher among girls, with 4 per cent saying they are current smokers, compared to 2 per cent of boys.
And more older students smoked than younger pupils. One in 10 15-year-olds smoke (11 per cent of girls and 7 per cent of boys), compared to one in 5,000 11-year-olds.
Just 12 per cent said they had ever smoked — another record low. This figure has also been on the decline for decades, from all time high of 55 per cent in 1984. In 2018, the figure stood at 16 per cent.
Some 6 per cent of pupils said they usually drank alcohol at least once a week, which is unchanged between the two surveys.
