As the popularity of vaping continues to surge among young people, experts are now advising non-smokers not to start using e-cigarettes.
There is still a lot unknown about the long-term effects of vaping. Even though recent studies have indicated that vaping is safer than smoking, that does not mean it’s safe. The scientific view shows that vaping causes less exposure to harmful components than smoking.
While regular vapers’ fate remains blurry, more teenagers have taken up vaping. According to a research study by Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), vaping among teens ages 11-18 has more than doubled from 4% in 2020 to 8.6% in 2021. However, the number of active smokers in the same age group has declined from 6.7% in 2020 to 6.0% in 2022. It is believed that there are 6 million smokers and 4 million vapers in England alone.
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Experts’ findings on vaping in England
Following the uncertainty of the long-term effects of vaping and the worrying trend of increased vaping among young people in England, the Department of Health and Social Care commissioned a team of experts from the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience team from King’s College London to provide independent expert advice on the public health implications of vaping. The team’s findings were published on 29th September 2022 on the government website.
Based on scientific evidence, the findings of the report confirmed:
• Vaping is much less harmful than smoking in the short and medium term.
• Vaping is not risk-free, especially for people who have never smoke.
• Vaping products, including disposable e-cigarettes, contain nicotine which is highly addictive.
• Cigarettes are dangerous as they contain toxicants that cause lung cancer and cardiovascular diseases.
The lead author of the team of researchers, Prof Ann McNeill, an expert in tobacco addiction, expressed concerns that it is implausible that vaping is risk-free. It would be illogical to assume that continued inhalation of vape fluid into the lungs has zero effects in the long run. “We strongly discourage anyone who has never smoked from taking up vaping or smoking,” she said.
Calls to stop teens from taking up vaping
According to the research, there is an imminent need to stop teens from taking up vaping as the long-term effects of vaping are still unclear. While there have been campaigns from concerned parents, the study found that there has been a laxity by local authorities when it comes to compliance and enforcing regulations to curb the sale and access to illegal vaping products. Also, social media platforms such as TikTok have popularized vaping as an adventure and a fashion accessory. The disposable vapes are readily available for as low as 5 pounds. The report recommends that more strict regulations and awareness campaigns can help stop teens from adopting vaping behaviors.
The Realities of Disposable Vaping: Chloe Harvatt’s Story
Chloe Harvatt is 23 and says she’s been using disposable vapes for around a year, smoking fewer cigarettes per day as a result. She told the BBC that she can get through seven or eight disposables in a week and is often vaping almost constantly throughout the day. Chloe says she likes the taste of vaping better than smoking cigarettes and worries about the lack of long-term research on the effects of vaping.
England has one of the highest smoking rates in Europe, and while the government has made some progress in reducing smoking rates, more needs to be done. Vaping presents an opportunity to help smokers quit, but only if it is done safely. The government must do more to regulate the sale and advertising of vaping products and educate people about the risks.
