Findings from an annual survey examining the vaping behaviour of 11-17-year-olds have revealed that the rate of youth vaping has stabilised in Britain.
Around 18 per cent of 11-17-year-olds, equating to 980,000 children, have tried vaping, according to the Smokefree GB Youth survey 2024, conducted by YouGov for health charity Action on Smoking and Health (ASH).
This isn’t significantly different from the rate in 2023 (20 per cent)
At the same time, the survey reveals that over half (53 per cent) of them had only done so once or twice and three per cent vape less than once a week. 1.3 per cent of children who tried vaping reported they no longer vape.
4.2 per cent said they vape more than once a week.
Hazel Cheeseman, deputy chief executive of ASH, said the sustained level of youth vaping and evidence that dependency may be increasing remain causes for concern, asking the government to bring back the Tobacco and Vapes Bill immediately after summer recess, and fast tracked through parliament.
“Vaping is an important tool to help adults quit and it should be regulated accordingly, to prevent e-cigarettes being packaged and promoted as though they were children’s toys,” Cheeseman said.
The study found that nearly three quarters (72 per cent) of 11-17-year-olds reported exposure to vape promotion, an increase from previous years. The most common sources of exposure were in shops (55 per cent) and online (29 per cent).
Despite laws prohibiting the sale of vapes to under-18s, 48 per cent of underage vapers reported purchasing vapes from shops.
Disposable vapes remain the most common product among young users (54 per cent), although this figure has declined from 69 per cent last year, possibly as a result of the arrival on the market of reusable variants of disposable vapes in anticipation of an upcoming disposable vape ban.
There is an indication that young vapers may be more dependent than they were four years ago, with more current vapers reporting strong urges to vape compared to 2020. ASH said this suggests that newer products may be increasing dependency, underscoring the urgency for stronger regulations.
