The head of the UK’s first vape withdrawal clinic for minors pointed out that although official figures show that the proportion of children aged 11 to 17 who use vapes is high younger children are also smoking vapes, and the scale of the problem is not fully understood, and there is a lack of effective ways to deal with it.
Key points:
1. The UK’s first vape-withdrawal clinic for minors is now fully operational in Liverpool.
2. Data show that about 18% of children aged 11 to 17 in the UK have used vapes, some as young as seven.
3. Doctors are calling for measures to address the growing problem of vaping among minors.
First underage vape cessation clinic in the UK
Children as young as seven are vaping, according to a director of the UK’s first vape withdrawal clinic for minors.
Rachel Isba revealed that the UK’s first vaping service for children opened in Liverpool two months ago, but has been fully booked for weeks.
According to the Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) survey, about 18% of children aged 11 to 17 in the UK have used vapes, while 7.2% have used vapes in the past month.
Isbar said that while official statistics start at age 11, she has received information from colleagues across the country that some children are using vapes as young as seven or eight.
- “The scale of the problem is unclear, but the extent of the age range has also been underestimated.”
- “Activists have long blamed predatory manufacturers for the growing vape crisis, claiming they are deliberately luring kids with brightly colored packaging. I think there’s a huge unmet need.”
- “I think there are many kids and young people who want support to quit vapes or reduce their use of vapes, but it’s always going to take time to put in place a system for them to come to me.” It’s a shame to open a clinic like this, but I feel like I’m dealing with a real problem and we haven’t grasped the scale of it yet.”
- “Everybody knows this is a huge problem for our kids and young kids, but we’re struggling with ways to deal with it, and it’s extraordinary that we don’t have a way to deal with kids and young adults who want to quit vapes because there’s such a wide range of problems.”
