The NHS in Scotland is prescribing alternative treatments such as nicotine patches and gum to youngsters as young as 13 amid concerns about vape addiction. More than 1,000 minors received such prescriptions in the past two years, with a 59% increase in prescriptions for 16 – to 18-year-olds in 2024 compared to 2023.
According to the Daily Mail on February 15, due to concerns about the number of children using vapes, the National Health Service (NHS) in Scotland is prescribing nicotine patches and gum for young people as young as 13.
In the past two years, doctors have written more than 1,000 prescriptions for minors addicted to nicotine. In 2018, the number of 16 – to 18-year-olds receiving treatment for smoking cessation increased by almost 60 percent.
NHS prescribes nicotine replacement for 13-year-olds
Scottish Conservative health secretary Dr Sandesh Gulhane said: “As a parent, I am deeply concerned that a 13-year-old is being prescribed nicotine replacement. The Scottish National Party has done nothing to tackle the vaping epidemic, which is causing thousands of children to become addicted. The government must ensure that the upcoming law banning single-use vapes is enforced.”
Figures provided to the Mail on Sunday by Public Health Scotland show that in 2023, 166 children aged 13 to 15 were prescribed nicotine replacement therapy, compared with 289 prescriptions for 16 to 18-year-olds. In 2024, 116 children aged 13 to 15 received a prescription, while 461 children aged 16 to 18 received a nicotine replacement product, a 59% increase from 2023.
Currently, NHS Scotland offers seven nicotine replacement therapies including gum, patches, lozenges, and sprays. These therapies gradually reduce addiction by using therapeutic nicotine doses that do not contain other harmful chemicals found in cigarettes or vapes.
A Scottish Government spokesman said: “Nicotine replacement therapy is one of the most effective ways of managing nicotine dependence and is licensed for people over the age of 12. We are actively tackling youth smoking and vapes and are working with the UK government and others to promote the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which will gradually raise the age of sale of products and create a smoke-free generation.”
