15.9% of Welsh students regularly use vapes, and more than 45% have at least tried them. Public Health Wales is concerned and welcomes the Tobacco and Vapes Act to curb this trend.
According to Tenby-Today on November 5, The School Health Research Network, according to the latest data released, 15.9% of Grade 11 students in Wales, England, regularly use vapes. More than 45 percent of 11th graders said they had tried vapes.
More than a quarter (25.7 percent) of students in grades 7 to 11 use vapes, which is up from 20.5 percent in 2021. Since 2021, vape use has increased significantly among girls, 11th graders, and non-smokers. From 2021 to 2023, vape utilization among students in all grades except seventh grade will increase every week.
Female students (8.6%) were more likely to use vapes regularly than male students (5.1%). Students in the 11th grade (15.9%) were more likely to use vapes than students in the lower grades.
In addition, only 5.5 percent of Grade 11 students now smoke regularly, which is significantly lower than the 7.5 percent in 2021. Less than 3 percent of students in grades 7 to 11 smoked regularly, and most of them also used vapes together.
Public Health Wales welcomes the introduction of the UK Government’s Tobacco and vapes Act.
Chris Emmerson, Weir’s public health consultant, said,
- “This new data shows that vape use among young people in Wales is increasing rapidly, which is similar to the situation in other parts of the UK. While vapes are far less harmful than smoking, they are by no means risk-free.”
- “As our multi-agency vape Response team highlighted last year, a growing number of teachers and youth workers are warning us about the increasing number of unfortunate nicotine-dependent individuals emerging among school-age students. The provisions in the new bill are an important step in stemming this upward trend.”
- “Public Health Wales also welcomes the increase in the tobacco sale age in the bill. Because smoking rates among students in grades 7-11 have hit rock bottom, this is an opportunity for this generation to pass important and life-saving legislation.”
