Following the news that Scotland is to follow suit with a disposable vape ban - we're taking a look at the risks, the benefits and how the incoming ban will affect users next. The measures come as part of ambitious government plans to try to tackle the rise in youth vaping in the UK and to help protect children's health.
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00:00 "Grapefruit, bubblegum, strawberry, berry burst. When you look at that, what's the first
00:07 thing that jumps out at you guys? Bright corals. It's like a sweet. Peeling to children. Peeling
00:11 to young people. Doing us right? No. No."
00:14 In October last year, the government opened a consultation on the prevalence of smoking
00:18 and vaping in the UK. As part of this investigation, they found that the number of children using
00:23 vapes in the past three years has tripled. Use among younger children is also rising,
00:28 with 9% of 11-15 year olds now using vapes. But what's so harmful about them? Well, largely,
00:34 we don't know the extent of impacts of long-term vape use. But the nicotine contained within
00:39 them can be highly addictive, with withdrawal symptoms causing anxiety, trouble concentrating
00:44 and headaches.
00:45 "Would you concur that this is an issue that seems to be on your desk a lot more than it
00:52 was even six months ago, and certainly when you began your career?"
00:56 "I think we have seen across our catchment area a significant increase. My head student
01:03 team would estimate the proportion around about 25% of the students at the school are
01:09 vaping and the local police, who we work really closely with, would echo that from their experience
01:16 in the market square and so on around the town."
01:20 But are they all that bad? Smoking is the UK's single biggest preventable killer, causing
01:26 around one in four cancer deaths and leading to 80,000 deaths per year. According to the
01:31 NHS website, nicotine vaping is one of the most effective tools for quitting smoking.
01:35 Switching to vaping significantly reduces your exposure to toxins that can cause cancer,
01:40 lung disease and diseases of the heart, and circulation like heart attack and stroke.
01:44 "I think because we know that smoking has really, you know, very significant detrimental
01:50 effects on people's physical health and also those around us as well, particularly children.
01:56 I was a smoker myself for many years, a quite heavy smoker as well I would admit, about
02:01 40 a day. And I know that kind of also for certain people, the sort of typical messaging,
02:07 the public health messaging, the way that sort of doctors talk sometimes to smokers
02:12 can actually be very off-putting."
02:14 So if vapes aren't as bad as smoking, why are disposable ones being banned? Vaping is
02:19 not risk-free. The NHS advises non-smokers and young people under 18 should not take
02:24 up vaping. Disposable vapes often come in a variety of bright colours and flavours that
02:29 appeal to children. Under new plans, vape flavours will be restricted, plain packaging
02:33 introduced and how vapes are displayed in shops is set to change too.
02:37 We'll crack down on marketing with new powers to restrict flavours and introduce plain packaging
02:43 to make vapes less appealing to kids.
02:45 We'll make sure vapes can't be displayed in shops in ways which appeal specifically
02:49 to children.
02:50 We'll stop children getting hold of vaping alternatives.
02:52 There's no point in children stopping vaping if they can still access products like nicotine
02:57 pouches.
02:58 We'll introduce new fines for shops who sell vapes illegally to children.
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