Dozens of children have been hospitalized due to vaping, while NHS warns against Christmas flavors such as mince pie
Health chiefs have criticized companies for selling festive flavored vapes to children as they revealed 170 children have been hospitalized due to vaping.
More than one child is now hospitalized every week with vaping-related injuries, and this number has increased fivefold in five years.
Health bosses said flavors such as mince pies, candy canes, Christmas pudding and gingerbread are ‘likely to appeal to younger age groups’ but there is ‘nothing joyful or fun’ about the serious effect vaping can have on their health.
It is illegal to sell vapes to under-18s, but NHS England found online stores are ‘pumping out Christmas offers and festive flavours’ that can be bought with ‘little to no cheques’.
It called on stores to tighten their checks in a bid to stem the tide of children becoming addicted to nicotine and falling ill.
Professor Sir Stephen Powis, national medical director of NHS England, said: ‘More than 30 children and young people being hospitalized for seven months for vaping-related conditions such as shortness of breath and possible lung damage is nothing short of alarming.
‘As vape companies launch Christmas offers and festive flavors such as Christmas pudding, sweets, mince pies or gingerbread, they are likely to appeal to younger age groups, and despite websites often stating that vapes are for over-18s, it is possible to buy them with little to no checks.
‘While vapes can be a useful tool in helping adults quit smoking, they should not be used by children and those under the age of 18 – there is nothing joyful or fun about the serious effect they can have on the health of young people, as well as to the possible long-term consequences.
Health bosses say flavors such as mince pie, candy cane, Christmas pudding and gingerbread are ‘likely to appeal to younger age groups’ (file image)
More than one child is now hospitalized every week with vaping-related injuries (file image)
‘We are urging online retailers to ensure they have good controls in place, including age verification, to prevent young people from purchasing vapes with festive flavors over the festive period.’
New analysis by NHS England shows that 31 children were admitted to hospital with vaping-related injuries between March and October this year, a figure of 4.42 per month.
This is an increase on the 11 admissions of children in all of 2020/21, when the rate was 0.91 per month.
There were 37 such withdrawals in 2021/22, 40 in 2022/23 and 51 in 2023/24.
There have been 280 hospital admissions with vaping-related conditions across all age groups from March to October this year, compared to 177 in all of 2020/21.
Vaping among young people has more than doubled in the past four years, with the government blaming “the targeting of vaping at children through flavors, branding and advertising.”
By 2023, one in four 11- to 15-year-olds had tried vaping.
Indoor vaping will be banned in public places and bright packaging and fruity flavors will be restricted as part of a major government crackdown on the practice.
New analysis by NHS England shows that 31 children were admitted to hospital with vaping-related injuries between March and October this year (file image)
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Retailers will be forced to obtain a license to sell vapes and tobacco and could face fines of up to £2,500 if they break stricter rules.
Under ministers’ plans, manufacturers will have to sell vapes in plain packaging and stop producing tasty flavors to make them less attractive to children.
The gadgets will be hidden from view in stores, as is already the case with cigarettes, and there will be a ban on vaping advertising and sponsorship.
Shops could face an on-the-spot fine of £200 if they are caught breaking the law under the Trading Standards, while repeat offenders could face stiffer financial penalties and have their license revoked in court.
The new ‘world-leading reforms’ feature in the Tobacco and Vapes Act, which the government presented to parliament last month (November).
Disposable vapes will also be banned from June 1, 2025 under separate environmental legislation.
The proposals, which will be subject to public consultation, aim to protect children from addiction to nicotine while allowing adult smokers to use vaping as a quit aid.
Professor Chris Whitty, England’s Chief Medical Officer, has described the rising number of children vaping as a ‘major concern’ and said the marketing of vaping to children is ‘completely unacceptable’.
Caroline Cerny, deputy chief executive of Action on Smoking and Health, said: ‘Currently unscrupulous manufacturers can brand and market vapes to appeal to children, which is unacceptable.
‘Vapes are a valuable cessation tool and less harmful than smoking, but as this data shows, they are not without risks.
‘Legislation currently going through Parliament will help address this, and regulations to prevent vapes being marketed to children should be a priority.
‘While this data is deeply concerning, we must also remember that smoking is still far more deadly and many, many more children will be hospitalized each year as a result of smoke exposure.
‘It is vital that the Government continues to tackle smoking while developing responsible vaping regulations.’