MPs have urged the government to introduce restrictions on the packaging and marketing of disposable vapes to tackle the “alarming trend” of children using these addictive products.
The health and social care committee said there should be restrictions on how e-cigarettes are sold, in line with those applied to tobacco products.
They said they were concerned about the disruption e-cigarettes were causing in schools and had heard from a headteacher who said that hydraulic oil and antifreeze had been found in a vape they confiscated.
Single-use vapes, from brands such as Elf Bar and Lost Mary, have soared in popularity, and since 2021 the proportion of 11- to 18-year-olds vaping (7.6%) has been greater than those smoking (3.6%). The latest survey for Action on Smoking and Health found 20.5% of children had tried vaping, up from 15.8% in 2022 and 13.9% before the first Covid lockdown.
Children are also getting their hands on illegal vapes, which often contain high levels of lead, nickel and chromium. Freedom of information requests to 125 local authorities revealed that more than 2.5m illicit e-cigarettes had been collected since 2020.
The Local Government Association, which represents councils in England and Wales, warned that disposable vapes were causing environmental damage, and called for them to be banned. They also expressed concern about young people vaping.
The Conservative MP Steve Brine, chair of the health and social care committee, said decisive action was needed from the government and the vape industry “to tackle an alarming trend in the number of children vaping and to protect them from its harmful effects”.
He said: “The vaping industry has not gone far enough to ensure that its products don’t appeal to children. When you have brightly coloured and branded vapes with flavours that name unicorns, sweets and popular fizzy drinks displayed in locations ranging from newsagents to chicken shops, it’s disingenuous for the industry to claim otherwise.
“We heard a wake-up call from a headteacher who told us that hydraulic oil and antifreeze, along with other extremely concerning chemicals, were found in a vape confiscated at her school.
“Ministers need to focus, across government, on the impact vaping is having in our schools, whether that be setting off smoke alarms in toilets or restricting access to them entirely for young people.”
The committee believes that the government can maintain a public health message on the potential value of vapes to smokers while ensuring that it keeps them out of sight and reach of children.
MPs called for a review of trading standards enforcement powers to prevent vapes being sold to children. They also urged the government to assess the impact of a proposed excise tax on disposable vapes, which would help to stop imports of illegal products.
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said it was illegal to sell nicotine vapes to children and they “are concerned about the recent rises in youth vaping – particularly the use of disposable vaping products”. They have launched a call for evidence to reduce the number of children “accessing and using vape products” and “will be considering a range of options”.
