Underage vaping is on the rise. It's hard to imagine it, but vapes are now becoming a familiar sight amongst children of school age. As they have grown in popularity over the last 20 years, so too has their use among young people. Not just young adults, but children. This should concern all of us.
London has one of the lowest proportions of young people vaping in the country. But lower is not the same as zero. Even one child being drawn into nicotine use is one too many.
Much of this rise in underage vaping has come from the popularity of disposable vapes. Their bright and colourful packaging, sweet flavours and relatively low prices have made them purposely attractive to children. There is a real worry that these products have helped create a new generation of young people who previously may have never considered smoking, but are now being encouraged to try nicotine.
No company should be targeting children for products like these.
It is important to be clear about the difference between vaping and smoking. Vaping is generally considered to carry significantly fewer health risks than smoking. That is why the NHS pushes for vaping as a healthier way for adult smokers to quit. But vaping is far from harmless, especially in the hands of children.
That's why I was so shocked at just how bad the problem is. A survey published earlier this year found that almost one in five 11 to 17-year-olds across the UK had tried vaping. Six per cent said they currently vape.
Behind these numbers are children who are being exposed to nicotine at an age when they should be at peak health. With vaping being a new phenomenon amongst children, parents are finding it difficult to know what to look out for. For schools, tackling vaping is just another challenge to an already demanding environment.
Something needs to be done.
The Government has already taken steps like banning disposable vapes and strengthening protections around youth vaping. But this regulation will only work if it's properly enforced. We need stronger action against retailers who sell vapes to children. We also need tougher measures against manufacturers and suppliers who deliberately make their products appealing to young people. But we also need to understand the issue at hand.
As Chair of the Health Committee at City Hall, I am leading an investigation into the full impacts of vaping on young people in London. If we are to solve this issue, we first need to know what we are up against. That means getting a clearer picture of not just how vaping is impacting young people, but why they're taking it up.
London is already ahead of the curve in keeping youth vaping rates relatively low. But we shouldn't be complacent about that.
If we want to protect the next generation, we need to keep vaping as an adult alternative for smokers trying to quit. It can't become a gateway into nicotine for children.
