UK Scientists Warn of Smoking Comeback In Children
The disposable vape ban could lead to a smoking comeback, as more children take up tobacco to fuel their nicotine addictions.
Scientists have expressed fears that many children and young adults who have been using e-cigarettes will look to traditional cigarette smoking to replace their nicotine intake.
Experts at Anglia Ruskin University conducted interviews with 29 young people aged 16 to 20 and discovered that if vapes were banned, many of these users would switch to smoking tobacco.
A study found that smoking public health messaging has been on the decline, while regular stories on the dangers of vaping have led to children today being less informed about smoking risks than previous generations were.
Professor Caitlin Notley, of the University of East Anglia, stated: “Our data does suggest that one unintended consequence of a complete ban on disposables would be that young people would choose to purchase illicit products, or potentially use tobacco instead.
“This would clearly be a very bad outcome for public health as our data did demonstrate that some young people viewed vaping and tobacco smoking as interchangeable, both in terms of harm and behaviourally.
“It is a concern that a ban may encourage increased tobacco smoking or increased use of illicit, unregulated, vaping products.”
Youth See No Difference Between Smoking & Vaping
In their study published in the journal Addiction, the authors report that vaping has become “normalised” among young people as well as the general population.
They found that many youths see little difference between smoking and vaping, even though smoking is significantly more harmful to health.
Of the estimated 5000 chemicals that cigarettes burn, many are poisonous and up to 70 of them have been shown to cause cancer. Users are also at serious risk of strokes, heart disease, lung disease and have an increased risk of death.
Most of these harmful chemicals, such as carbon monoxide and tar, are not found in vape E-Liquids.
However, Professor Notley said that the “years of reduced investment” in public health messaging about the harms of smoking have played a part in smoking and vaping being seen as equally dangerous.
Negative Vaping Stories
With many media outlets quick to pick up on anecdotal negative vaping stories, in combination with the government’s disposable ban and vape regulation bill, incorrect beliefs and interpretations surrounding vaping are said to have been fostered.
Essentially, e-cigarettes present somewhat of a conundrum in society. While vaping is dangerous for those who do not smoke, those looking to make the switch from cigarettes to vapes have reaped the rewards.
A 2021 review revealed that individuals who used e-cigarettes alongside expert face-to-face support to quit smoking were up to twice as likely to succeed compared to those who relied on other nicotine replacement products like patches or gum.
Yet for the majority of the UK population who do not smoke, including young people, public opinion of vaping and smoking rely heavily on media representation.
“It is my opinion that young people are likely to hold misperceptions about the relative harmfulness of vaping as they are exposed to many negative vaping stories via the media and social media, yet have relatively little exposure to accurate educational messages about the extreme harm of tobacco smoking,” Professor Notley said.
What can be done to reduce chances of a smoking comeback?
The professor of addiction studies Notley suggested: “We should invest in education campaigns giving clear evidence-based messages on the harms of tobacco smoking.
“This, in my opinion, should include messages on the relative risks of vaping – much less harmful than tobacco smoking but not harm free.”
Vaping is recognised by the NHS and Cancer Research UK as a highly valuable tool to help people stop smoking, and Professor Notley says it should continue to be seen as a positive transition for smokers to make. The worry is that public perceptions of e-cigs will decrease to the point where smokers themselves will see the transition as a negative one.
Yet it is also vital to ensure that young people do not get addicted to nicotine as a result of vape-use.
Professor Notley advocates that: “…we should have clear education campaigns positioning vaping as a smoking cessation approach.”
It is illegal to sell vapes to individuals under 18, and legislation to ban disposable vapes was announced earlier this year. However, the process was paused due to the dissolution of Parliament ahead of the general election.
Both Labour and the Conservatives supported the vape ban and the anti-smoking legislation aimed at creating a “smoke-free generation.” This included restrictions to flavoured vape products, as well as restrictions to vape packaging and points of sale in any vape shop. Both are expected to come into effect by mid-late 2025.
Summary
Professor Caitlin Notley’s recommendations for more investment into education on the serious effects of smoking and the comparative effects of vaping are much needed.
It seems as though both smoking and vaping have become too normalised in the public eye. Many seem to have forgotten the incredibly dangerous risks of smoking that we have known for decades, and many seem resigned to confine vaping in a purely negative space.
The more people equate the harms of smoking with the harms of vaping, the more likely a smoking comeback could be should vapes become inaccessible.
Education is crucial in swaying public opinion toward factual evidence, thereby not only preventing a smoking comeback in youths, but preventing a smoking comeback in the UK overall.
