How a vape ban could lead to more young people smoking, as new study finds youngsters see vaping and cigarettes as ‘interchangeable’

More  young people would take up smoking if vapes were banned or increased in price as a result of taxation, a study has suggested.

Youngsters see smoking and vaping as ‘interchangeable’ but are ‘far more’ aware of the potential harms of vaping than the dangers of smoking, researchers found.

Many of those questioned also believed they could get around a proposed ban on disposable vapes by stockpiling or purchasing them illegally.

Lead researcher Caitlin Notley, a Professor of Addiction Sciences at the University of East Anglia, said: ‘Youth use of disposable vapes has surged in recent years in the UK.

‘Despite this increase, little was previously known about the motivations behind this trend and the experiences of young people who use these products.

Youngsters see smoking and vaping as ‘interchangeable’ but are ‘far more’ aware of the potential harms of vaping than the dangers of smoking, researchers found

‘This study aimed to explore these aspects, providing valuable insights into the factors influencing youth vaping behaviour.’ 

The study recruited 29 people aged between 16 and 20 and a range of methods were used to probe their motivations, experiences and perceptions of using disposable vapes.

This included individual interviews with researchers; recorded conversations in friendship pairs using prompt cards without a researcher present; and small group interviews designed to support those with special educational needs.

The Conservatives and Labour have vowed to restrict the marketing of vapes to children and increase the age at which people can buy tobacco.

A recent survey of 2,587 children aged 11 to 17 by campaign group Action on Smoking and Health found 7.6 per cent currently vape.

This is the same proportion as last year, but up from 2.8 per cent in 2017 and 0.8 per cent in 2013.

Regular vaping among this age group – meaning vaping more than once a week – is now more common (4.5 per cent) than using vapes less than once a week (3.1 per cent).

Teachers have told how pupils are having to leave lessons to vape after becoming addicted to nicotine and experts claim vaping firms are hooking youngsters with bright colours and fruity flavours.

Study participants highlighted key characteristics of disposable vapes that appealed to them, such as affordability, ease of access, and the attractive designs, colours, names, and flavours.

Many said they engaged in both vaping and tobacco smoking, viewing these behaviours as interchangeable based on the context.

The Conservatives and Labour have vowed to restrict the marketing of vapes to children and increase the age at which people can buy tobacco

But researchers found there was a ‘common misconception’ about the relative harms of vaping compared to smoking.

Experimentation with vapes was prevalent, and many young people said they used vapes to ‘manage stress and anxiety’.

Vaping was also identified as a social activity, widely accepted among peer groups.

Co-author Dr Ian Pope, also from UEA and an emergency physician, said: ‘Disposable vapes are particularly attractive and accessible to young people in the UK, contributing to the normalisation of vaping within this demographic.

‘Despite recognising the potential health risks, young people continue to engage in both vaping and smoking, often interchangeably.

‘The widespread availability of underage vape sales and availability of illicit vapes further exacerbates this issue.’ 

The researchers say the study suggests that young people’s use of disposable vapes could be reduced by tighter enforcement of age of sale and restricting packaging and marketing.

However, they also say the evidence suggests these sorts of interventions have the potential for ‘significant unintended consequences’, including increased use of illicit vapes ‘and, most worryingly’, increased tobacco use amongst young people.

Professor Notley said: ‘Any interventions to combat use of disposables may need to be accompanied by policy interventions to reduce access to illicit vapes and tobacco and increase awareness of the relative harms of tobacco compared to vapes.’ 

The research, published in the journal Addiction, was conducted in partnership with the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital and and London South Bank University, and funded by through the National Institute for Health and Care Research.