By Stephen Beech via SWNS
Banning vapes would lead to a resurgence in young people smoking, warns a new study.
Youngsters see smoking and vaping as “interchangeable” – but are far more aware of the potential harms of vaping than they are of the dangers of smoking tobacco, according to the research.
The findings also suggest that banning disposable vape products or increasing their prices could lead young people to revert to smoking tobacco.
Many of the young adults questioned also believed that if disposable vapes were banned they would be able to continue using them by stockpiling or purchasing illegally.
The research, led by the University of East Anglia (UEA), reveals how disposable vapes have become a prominent part of young people’s lives.
Lead researcher Professor Caitlin Notley, of UEA’s Norwich Medical School, 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.
“This study aimed to explore these aspects, providing valuable insights into the factors influencing youth vaping behavior.”
The research team recruited 29 people aged between 16 and 20 and used several methods to probe their motivations, experiences and perceptions of using disposable vapes.
Each approach was chosen to best suit the needs of the participants – from individual interviews with researchers to recorded conversations in friendship pairs using prompt cards without a researcher present.
The findings, published in the journal Addiction, showed that the key characteristics of disposable vapes that appealed to the participants was affordability, ease of access, and attractive designs, colors, names, and flavors.
Many of the participants engaged in both vaping and tobacco smoking, viewing them as interchangeable based on the context.
But the researchers said there was a “common misconception” about the relative harms of vaping compared to smoking.
Many young people used vapes to manage stress and anxiety while vaping was also identified as a social activity, widely accepted among peer groups.
The participants were also more informed about the potential harms of vaping than those associated with smoking.
The findings also suggested that strict regulatory measures, such as banning disposable vape products or increasing their prices, could lead young people to revert to smoking tobacco.
Many of the young people believed that if disposable vapes were banned they would be able to continue using them by stockpiling or purchasing illegally.
Study co-author Dr. Ian Pope said: “Disposable vapes are particularly attractive and accessible to young people in the UK, contributing to the normalization of vaping within this demographic.
“Despite recognizing 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 their findings suggest that young people’s use of disposable vapes could be reduced by tighter enforcement of age of sale and restricting packaging and marketing.
But they also say the evidence suggests such measures have the potential for “significant unintended consequences” – including increased use of illicit vapes and, most worryingly, increased tobacco use among young people.
Notley added: “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 was conducted in partnership with the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital and the Nicotine, Tobacco and Vaping Research Group at London South Bank University.
