There has been a rise in young people in Scotland vaping in recent years, with more than 40 per cent of children and teenagers saying they’ve tried vapes by the time they reach S4.1
Vaping is a new and emerging pattern of disruptive behaviour in schools, with staff reporting reduced attendance as young people gather to vape in toilets through the school day.2
Nicotine, often found in vapes, can also be linked to stress, anxiety and struggles with sleeping. Research shows that you can become addicted to nicotine within days of starting to use it and a quarter of teens who tried vaping say they are addicted.3
To help tackle this issue the Scottish Government has launched a campaign which encourages and supports teachers to have conversations with pupils about the serious health risks of vaping.
Public Health Minister Jenni Minto said: “Smoking damages lives and kills more than 8,000 people a year in Scotland and is burden on our NHS and social care services. Research also suggests that almost one in five adolescents have tried vapes.
“While E-cigarettes are one of a range of tools for adult smokers to quit smoking, they should never be used by young people or adult non-smokers. We must take action to prevent young people using vapes and becoming addicted which will damage their health, and that’s why we launched a marketing campaign. It is much easier to never start than it is to give up.”
Allie Cherry-Byrnes, CEO of Fast Forward, a voluntary education organisation, said: “We know from speaking to schools and parents during our vaping workshops that schools have seen a notable increase of vaping among pupils recently.
“The nicotine addiction associated with vaping can affect pupils’ ability to concentrate in school and schools are also seeing a negative impact on attendance.
“The campaign resources are a useful tool for teachers as they continue to speak to pupils about vaping and help young people understand the health risks involved.”
Resources linking to Curriculum for Excellence have been shared with all Scottish schools, including information and facts about vaping, posters, newsletter copy, social media assets and an expert film featuring Professor Linda Bauld talking about the impacts of vaping on young people.
Professor Linda Bauld from the University of Edinburgh said “There is a rise in young people in Scotland who vape and this is a concern. These are products that should be used by adult smokers trying to quit and not other groups.
“Although we don’t have long term evidence on health harms, we do know that many vaping products contain nicotine that can be addictive. Cravings for nicotine can lead to irritability, restlessness, feeling anxious or depressed, trouble concentrating and sleeping.
“It’s important that we communicate to young people and parents about risks and support them to have informed discussions about these products.”
Nicotine withdrawal can have an impact on a young person’s mental health making them tired, stressed and anxious. It can also affect young people’s concentration and impact their ability to learn and study. The first symptoms of nicotine dependence can appear within days or weeks of starting to occasionally vape.
The ‘Take Hold’ campaign also offers advice for parents about talking to their about vaping and features a striking image of a young person being ‘taken hold of’ by vape smoke, to highlight how vaping can quickly take hold of and impact your life.
