More than 300,000 people who have never smoked regularly use disposable vaporizers, new research shows.
A major study found that more than 7 percent of people ages 18 to 24 who have never used tobacco use these devices.
In a nod to the Government’s ban plan, researchers said preventing vaping use among those who have never smoked (especially children) should be “a public health priority.”
This will protect children, they said, but warned that adults may need to be persuaded to switch to other e-cigarettes to prevent them from returning to smoking.
A major study found that more than 7 percent of people ages 18 to 24 who have never used tobacco use these devices. Stock
The Cancer Research UK-funded study found that banning disposable vapes would affect around 2.6 million adults in England, Wales and Scotland.
They said that unlike previous disposable products, the current products “are not designed to look like cigarettes, but instead have a stylish design (in a variety of colors) and branding that appeals to young people.”
From January 2021 to August 2023, the prevalence of disposable e-cigarette use increased from 0.1 percent to 4.9 percent of the adult population.
This increase was most pronounced among younger adults: 15.9 percent of 18-year-olds, compared to 1.3 percent of 65-year-olds, used them.
This figure rises to 16.3 percent of people who currently smoke and 18.2 percent of those who stopped smoking in the last year, according to the survey of 69,973 adults.
While those who had never smoked were generally unlikely to vape, this was not the case for younger people. About 7.1 percent of people ages 18 to 24 who had never smoked vaped.
The researchers noted that this likely had to do with the way they were marketed, writing in the journal Public Health: “They are promoted through colorful in-store displays, word of mouth, and social media platforms, and are widely available.” available in supermarkets, convenience stores, gas stations, vape shops, and online without proper enforcement of age of sale laws.
Disposable vapes, which cost as little as £3, have seen a surge in popularity among young people, with one in five secondary school pupils having tried vaping this year. This figure has tripled in the last three years.
In June, a MailOnline investigation found Britain’s health watchdog had recorded almost 1,000 serious adverse reactions to e-cigarettes, including blood, nervous system and respiratory disorders, as well as cancer and injuries such as burns. This includes five deaths related to the devices.
Data from NHS Digital, based on the survey of tobacco, alcohol and drug use among young people in England for 2021, showed that 30 per cent of children in Yorkshire and the Humber have used a vape.
The latest figures from the ONS show that the number of people smoking cigarettes in the UK has fallen to a record low. In total, 6.4 million adults in the UK, or 12.9 per cent, smoked in 2022. This is the lowest figure since records began in 2011 and represents a fall from 13.3 per cent. percent reported in 2021.
This prompted the Prime Minister to announce wide-ranging proposals to curb vaping use among children.
While it is illegal to sell them to those under 18, social media is flooded with posts from teenagers showing colorful vaporizers and talking about flavors like pink lemonade, strawberry, banana and mango. Many contain addictive nicotine.
Overall, the study concluded that a ban on disposable e-cigarettes would currently affect one in 20 adults, the equivalent of 2.6 million people.
Young people, including the 316,000 young people aged 18 to 24 who currently use disposable products but have never smoked tobacco regularly, would be most affected, which researchers say may discourage vaping use in this group.
However, a ban would also affect 1.2 million people who currently smoke and another 744,000 who smoked previously, they said.
Lead author Dr Sarah Jackson, from University College London (UCL), said: “While banning disposables may seem like a simple solution to reducing vaping among young people, it could have significant unintended consequences for people who smoke. “.
“In the event of a ban, it would be important to encourage current and former smokers who use disposable cigarettes to switch to other types of e-cigarettes rather than returning to simply smoking tobacco.”
Dr Ian Walker, executive director of policy at Cancer Research UK, said: “Smoking is the leading preventable cause of cancer, and research shows that vaping is much less harmful than smoking and can help people quit smoking. “. But the long-term health impacts of vaping are unknown.
‘This study highlights the complex balancing act of regulating disposable vaporizers and who could be most affected.
‘Vaporizers should be regulated so that they do not fall into the hands of children and people who have never smoked, but they should also be made available to people who want to stop smoking.
“It’s important that as we clamp down on youth vaping, we don’t also create barriers for those trying to quit smoking.”
Lead author Professor Jamie Brown, also from UCL, said: “Action is needed to reduce disposable vaping among young people who have never smoked.” However, the trade-offs need to be carefully considered.”
The researchers suggested strengthening regulations on disposable vaporizers, including banning brands that appeal to children, such as bright colors, sweet names and cartoon characters.
They said promoting e-cigarettes in stores should stop and put them out of the sight and reach of children.
Putting a tax on disposables to raise the price to the same level as cheaper reusable e-cigarettes could also be a deterrent, they conclude.