Disposable vapes are regularly used by more than 300,000 people who have never smoked, new research shows.
A large study found that more than 7 percent of 18- to 24-year-olds who have never been tobacco users use these devices.
In a nod to the government’s ban plan, researchers said preventing vaping among those who have never smoked – especially children – should be “a public health priority.”
This will protect children, they said, but for warning adults may need to be persuaded to switch to other e-cigarettes to avoid returning to smoking.
A large study found that more than 7 percent of 18- to 24-year-olds who have never been tobacco users use these devices. stock
The Cancer Research UK-funded study found that a ban on disposable vapes would affect an estimated 2.6 million adults in England, Wales and Scotland.
They said that unlike previous disposables, the current products are ‘not designed to look like cigarettes, but rather have a sleek design (in a variety of colours) and branding that appeals to young people’.
From January 2021 to August 2023, disposable e-cigarette use grew from 0.1 percent to 4.9 percent among the adult population.
This increase was most pronounced among younger adults, with 15.9 percent of 18-year-olds compared to 1.3 percent of 65-year-olds using it.
According to the survey of 69,973 adults, this rises to 16.3 percent of people who currently smoke and 18.2 percent of those who have quit smoking in the past year.
While never-smokers are generally unlikely to vape, this was not the case among younger people. About 7.1 percent of 18 to 24-year-olds who had never smoked had vaped occasionally.
Researchers noted that this was likely to do with the way they were marketed, writing in the journal Public Health: ‘They are promoted through colorful in-store displays, word of mouth and social media platforms, and are widely available in supermarkets, convenience stores, gas stations, vape shops and online without adequate enforcement of age of sale laws.”
Disposable vapes, which cost as little as £3, have seen a surge in popularity among young people; reportedly, one in five high school students has tried vaping this year. This number has tripled in the past three years.
In June, a MailOnline investigation found that almost 1,000 serious side effects from e-cigarettes had been recorded by the UK health watchdog, including blood, nervous system and breathing disorders, as well as cancer and injuries such as burns. This includes five deaths linked to the devices
NHS Digital data, based on the Smoking, Drinking and Drugs Among Young People in England Survey for the year 2021, showed that 30 per cent of children in Yorkshire and the Humber have used a vape
The latest ONS figures show that the number of people smoking cigarettes in Britain has fallen to a record low. A total of 6.4 million adults in Britain – or 12.9 percent – smoked in 2022. This is the lowest figure since records began in 2011 and down from 13.3 percent in 2021 was reported.
It prompted the Prime Minister to announce sweeping proposals to curb the use of vapes among children.
Although it is illegal to sell them to under-18s, social media is flooded with posts from teens showing colored vapes and discussing flavors such as pink lemonade, strawberry, banana and mango. Many contain addictive nicotine.
Overall, the study concluded that a ban on single-use e-cigarettes would currently affect one in 20 adults – the equivalent of 2.6 million people.
Young people – including the 316,000 18- to 24-year-olds who currently use disposables but have never smoked tobacco regularly – would be most affected, which researchers say could discourage vaping use in this group.
However, a ban would also affect 1.2 million people who currently smoke and another 744,000 people who previously smoked, they said.
Lead author Dr Sarah Jackson from University College London (UCL) said: ‘While banning disposables may seem like a simple solution to reducing vaping among young people, it could have significant unintended consequences for people who smoke.
‘In the event of a ban, it would be important to encourage current and ex-smokers who use disposables to switch to other types of e-cigarettes, rather than returning to smoking tobacco alone.’
Dr. Ian Walker, executive director of policy at Cancer Research UK, said: ‘Smoking is the biggest preventable cause of cancer, and research shows that vaping is much less harmful than smoking and can help people quit. But the long-term health effects of vaping are unknown.
‘This study highlights the complex balancing act of regulating disposable vapes and who may be most affected.
‘Vapes should be regulated so that they do not fall into the hands of children and people who have never smoked, but should also be made available to people who want to quit smoking.
‘It’s important that by tackling youth vaping we don’t also create barriers for those trying to quit smoking.’
Senior author Professor Jamie Brown, also from UCL, said: ‘There is a need for action to reduce disposable vaping among young people who have never smoked. However, the trade-offs must be carefully considered.”
The researchers suggested strengthening regulations around disposable vapes, including banning brands that appeal to children, such as bright colors, sweet names and cartoon characters.
The promotion of e-cigarettes in stores should be stopped and placed out of the sight and reach of children, they said.
Imposing a tax on disposables to bring the price to the same level as the cheapest reusable e-cigarettes could also be a deterrent, they conclude.