IS TEEN VAPING ON THE RISE IN THE UK?

Here at Jucce and Juccier we can’t help but be aware of the daily news headlines and stories of outrage that currently surround e-cigarettes and vaping. But we like to think that we’re doing our bit to tilt the narrative away from panic and more towards sensible, evidence based and informed discussion.

SO, WHATS IN THE STUDY?

Which is why we were particularly pleased to see the latest statistics from the NHS. This study, conducted every other year, looks at the prevalence, habits, and attitudes towards smoking, drinking and drug use among 14,000 young people aged 11-15. The survey has been around in one form or another since 1982 and questions about e-cigarette use were included for the first time in 2014.

The latest study, published on 20^th August 2019, asks pupils various questions about awareness of e-cigarettes, frequency and length of use, sources of e-cigarettes, success in obtaining them from shops, and attitudes towards their use. The results show that regular use and experimentation of vaping amongst young people remains low and has in fact declined since 2016.

Here are a few highlights:

• Regular use of vaping products by young people remains at less than 2%, and even lower than in 2016
• Less than 1% of pupils who have never smoked have tried vaping
• Their ability to buy e-cigarettes from high street stores fell by over 20% since 2016

WHY IS VAPING ON THE DECLINE WITH TEENS?

This report, combined with further evidence from ASH (Action for Smoking and Health) confirms that vaping is not a gateway into smoking for children, and that young people mostly only vape to give e-cigarettes a try, not because it’s “cool”. This proves that the vaping industry is far from the youth-corrupting child-catchers the tabloids like to make it out to be.

We want to keep it this way. Vaping isn’t a drug and it’s not “cool”. It’s a device that helps the millions of smokers in the UK quit for good, for the sake of their health, relationships and wellbeing. But we need to be ever vigilant in making sure the over-18 and Tobacco Product Directive rules are strictly adhered to, regardless of which sales channel is used.

Isn’t it a shame that the good news gets overwhelmed by isolated cases of the bad? But then good news doesn’t sell papers does it?

Interested in using vaping as a tool to quit smoking? We have a great range of classic liquids to help you get started, check them out HERE at Vape Jucce