Warning that vaping by children could be linked to binge drinking and cannabis use, study suggests

The number of kids trying vaping is up more than 50 percent in a year amid warnings of a link to binge drinking and cannabis use.

Data shows an increase in the number of 11- to 17-year-olds trying to vape ‘once or twice’, from 7.7 percent last year to 11.6 percent this year.

Disposable vapes were the e-cigarette of choice among young people, with most saying they bought them from convenience stores. It’s illegal to sell them to under-18s, but social media has seen posts of teens showing off vapes and discussing flavors like pink lemonade, strawberry, banana, and mango.

Experts have previously warned how the new generation of disposable vapes known as “puff bars” containing nicotine have flooded the market.

The survey of 2,656 children, conducted by YouGov in March and April for Action on Smoking and Health (Ash), comes as research in the US showed that teens who vape were at least 20 times more likely to have also tried cannabis or indulged in binge drinking.

When asked why they vape, 14 percent of young people said they liked the flavors [File image]

The YouGov data will be submitted as part of the government’s call for evidence on measures to reduce the number of children accessing vaping while ensuring that e-cigarettes can still be used by adults seeking to quit smoking.

When asked why they vape, 40 percent of young people said they just wanted to try it, 19 percent wanted to join others and 14 percent said they liked the flavours. Deborah Arnott, Ash’s chief executive, said it was necessary to “turn the tide of vape experimentation for children,” adding: “The government’s investment in cracking down on the illegal sale of vapes by minors is an essential first step.

‘But enforcement alone is not enough to tackle the child-friendly promotion of these cheap and attractive products without stricter regulations.

“The Ash youth study demonstrates the rapid growth of in-store promotion of vapes, using brightly colored packaging displays reminiscent of cigarette displays of yesteryear. The evidence is clear: the government must take strong action to prevent vapes from being directed at children.”

In the US, researchers tracked trends in cigarette, alcohol, cannabis and vaping use among 50,000 13- to 18-year-olds. Those who vaporized nicotine were more than 20 times more likely to use cannabis compared to those who did not use nicotine.

Those who vaped and smoked were 21.6 times more likely to engage in binge drinking three to five times in a two-week period.

Lead author Noah Kreski, of Columbia University in New York, said the findings, published in the journal Substance Use and Misuse, indicate that vaping is “strongly linked to other substance use that may harm adolescents.”

It is illegal to sell disposable vapes to under 18s, but social media has seen posts of teens showing off vapes and discussing flavors like pink lemonade, strawberry, banana, and mango [File image]

A spokesman for the Department of Health and Social Care said: “It is already illegal to sell vapes to children and we are exploring further ways to tackle youth vaping through our recently launched Call for Evidence which will look at the appearance and characteristics of vapes, the marketing and promotion, and the role of social media.

She added: ‘We also recently announced a new ‘illegal vapes enforcement squad’ – backed by £3million – to remove illegal products from shelves and prevent them from crossing our borders.’