Shocking rise in young people vaping exposed as dangerous and illegal e-cigarettes soar
Vaping has become an epidemic among young people with many using unregulated and potentially dangerous "illicit" vapes, a new study found.
The research revealed the number of youths using the popular alternative to smoking has “skyrocketed”, with one in five children aged 11 to 17 saying they had tried vaping last year, up from 15.8 per cent in 2022.
The rise is partly blamed on an increase in the availability of flavoured disposable vapes alongside a rise in vape shops. The UK has more than 3,500 specialist vape shops – 230 of which opened last year.
Some shops have been found to sell products to children without proper age verification, while others are selling unregulated, cheap imitations which can contain dangerous chemicals such as lead, nickel, and chromium. The research, carried out by online legal vape retailer Go Smoke Free, stated: “The cheaper vapes are typically sold at lower prices, making them more accessible to young people and more profitable for unscrupulous sellers.”
The study also highlighted evidence of illegal vaping being linked to criminal activities, including child exploitation and organised crime. It states that increasing numbers of children are being lured into vape shops by criminals who are grooming them with “freebies” as part of coercion tactics to later exploit them for criminal or sexual activities.
Det Chief Insp Suzanne Keena-ghan, from Greater Manchester Police, which has attempted to crackdown on child exploitation, said: “Vape shops and vapes are created to attract children and entice them into purchasing them. Exploiters are using that façade, within that setting, to get children to go to that location.
“Once they’re at that location, it can be used to manipulate the child. So they could give out vapes for free and eventually you find out that it wasn’t free and now you owe them. It can be the beginning of a grooming journey for a child.”
Last year England’s Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty described the marketing of vapes as “utterly unacceptable”.
And Children’s Commissioner Rachel de Souza has said child vaping is one of her priorities as she has “real concerns” about the rise, especially as “we don’t yet know enough about the long-term impact this might have on children’s physical health”.
A spokesperson for Go Smoke Free said: “To combat illegal vape shops, the UK must adopt a comprehensive strategy.
“This involves increasing funding for local trading standards, intensifying enforcement at key locations, tightening advertising and packaging regulations to reduce youth appeal, and enhancing cooperation between law enforcement and health authorities.
“A balanced regulatory framework is essential to support adult smokers who are looking to quit while protecting young people from harmful, unregulated products.”
The Government recently funded an illicit vapes enforcement squad to tackle underage sales and the distribution of non-compliant products.
