Nearly one in five children in Great Britain has tried vaping, according to Action on Smoking and Health, with about 1.1 million 11 to 17-year-olds having experimented with e-cigarettes at least once.
The figure represents 19% of that age group and has prompted two doctors to call on the Government to act faster against what they describe as an epidemic. Writing for the Daily Express, Professor Will Carroll, a consultant paediatrician, and Dr Ahmed Ezzat, an NHS resident cancer specialist, argue that ministers already have the powers needed to tighten controls but are delaying action.
Budget move against vape shops
At this week's Budget, the Government announced that vape shops will lose access to business rates relief. The doctors said they hope this is the next step of a campaign against such retailers, which they say have spread across high streets.
One of the authors co-authored a major review of vaping's effects on children and young people, which the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health described as one of the most comprehensive of its kind. The review brought together evidence from 81 studies after researchers screened more than 14,000 published articles and examined 325 in full.
Health risks and illegal vapes
The review found that young people who vaped were more likely to suffer from coughing, wheezing and symptoms of bronchitis, as well as exacerbated asthma. It also raised concerns surrounding mental health and sleep.
Dr Ezzat founded StampOutVapes, a campaign raising awareness of illegal vapes among parents, teachers, medical professionals and the Government. Its petition calls on ministers to introduce proper safety standards before these products reach shops.
The doctors note that illegal and non-compliant vapes can exceed nicotine restrictions by up to seven times the legal limit or contain undeclared toxic substances and even drugs like cannabis or spice. Some fail basic electrical and battery-safety requirements and have caused fires in shops and homes.
Call for earlier consultation and licensing
The Tobacco & Vapes Act gives ministers broad powers to strengthen product requirements, establish product registration and introduce retail licensing. However, the Government does not plan to consult on its licensing scheme until 2027 at the earliest.
The doctors argue the consultation should be brought forward, with a clear timetable for introducing licensing alongside mandatory independent testing. They say products already on sale should face random checks, with manufacturers and importers footing the bill, and that results should be linked to a register that retailers and enforcement officers can use.
They also call for every shop and online business selling vapes to require a licence linked to a named operator, with conditions covering age checks, traceable suppliers and cooperation with inspections and test purchases. Retailers that repeatedly sell to children, stock illegal products or conceal their supply chains should risk suspension or license withdrawal, they argue.
