New vaping regulations welcomed as vape use rises among young people

Almost one-in-six year 11 students in Wales (15.9 per cent) are regularly using vapes, according to new data.  Over 45 per cent of students in year 11 say they have tried a vape. 

Meanwhile, just 5.5 per cent of students in year 11 now regularly smoke, down from 7.5 per cent in 2021. 

Less than three per cent (2.7) of students in years 7-11 smoke regularly.  The majority of these also vape.

This new data, from The School Health Research Network, is being published as the UK Government introduces a Tobacco and Vapes Bill that will pave the way for restrictions on the marketing and sale of tobacco, vapes and other products.

Public Health Wales welcomes the provisions of the new Bill.  These include banning the sale of tobacco to anyone born after 1 January 2009, more powers to bring vape packaging in line with tobacco products, and strengthening enforcement around vape sales. 

Chris Emmerson, Consultant in Public Health for Public Health Wales, said:

“As this new data illustrates, vaping among young people is rapidly on the rise in Wales, which is a similar picture to the rest of the UK.  And, while vaping is considerably less harmful than smoking, it is far from risk free.

“As the work of our multi-agency Vaping Response Group highlighted last year, teachers and youth workers have increasingly been raising the alarm with us about a growing number of school-age pupils who are sadly struggling with nicotine dependency.

“The provisions of this Bill represent vital action to curb this rise.

“Public Health Wales also welcome the provisions in the Bill to raise the age for tobacco sales.  With smoking rates among students in years 7-11 now at rock-bottom, this is a once in a generation opportunity to pass important, life-saving legislation.”

An average of 3,845 deaths in Wales in 2022 were due to smoking, according to a recent Public Health Wales study.  More than 17,000 hospital admissions each year in Wales were attributable to smoking.

The new data also shows that:

·    Over a quarter of students (25.7 per cent) in years seven to 11 have now vaped, up from 20.5 per cent 2021.

·    Increases in vaping since 2021 have been particularly notable amongst girls, year 11 learners and non-smokers.  Weekly vaping increased between 2021 and 2023 in all year groups except year seven.

·    Girls (8.6 per cent) are more likely to vape regularly than boys (5.1 per cent).

·    Those in year 11 (15.9 per cent) are more likely to vape than those in younger year groups.

The data is being published by Public Health Wales on behalf of The School Health Research Network (SHRN).  It is based on 129,761 learners from year seven to 11 from 201 schools in Wales responding to the Student Health and Wellbeing (SHW) survey administered between September and December 2023.

All smokers in Wales can receive free, non-judgemental support to quit, including free stop smoking medication. Visit www.helpmequit.wales or call 0800 085 2219.