IF you’re a smoker desperate to quit, vaping is considered substantially less harmful.
But the brightly-coloured, nicotine-packed devices have infiltrated sweet shop shelves and school playgrounds, leaving young children hooked – and now new figures show the number of children being hospitalised due to vaping is on track for a record high.
Vapes come in fun-sounding flavours, like cotton candy, watermelon ice and cola.
So perhaps it’s no surprise the habit has proved popular among teens, and sometimes children even younger.
According to the figures from the NHS, between April and October this year, 31 under-18s were admitted to hospital in England due to vaping-related illnesses.
Heavy use of e-cigarettes has been linked to increased risk of breathing problems, such as asthma, bronchitis, and lung infections.
And too much nicotine to dizziness and vomiting.
The new figures put the NHS on track to treat at least 53 people by March – more than 2023’s high of 51 young patients in one financial year.
NHS medical director, Professor Sir Stephen Powis, said more than 30 children and young people being admitted to hospital over seven months is alarming.
He also hit out at e-cig firms selling Christmas-themed flavours like mince pie that appeal to youngsters.
“They are likely to be appealing to younger age groups and it is possible to purchase them with little to no checks,” he said.
“Vapes can be a useful tool to help adults quit smoking but they should not be used by children and under 18s.”
Surveys suggest about seven per cent of under-18s (almost a million) are regular vapers.
In a bid to tackle the rising number of young people taking up the habit, the Government has announced that disposable vapes, like trendy Elfbars and Lost Marys, will be banned in summer next year.
The new law will prohibit their sale from June 1, 2025, The Sun exclusively revealed in October.
Most experts believe that while vaping is nowhere near as harmful as smoking cigarettes, they have still not been around for long enough for long-term risks to be known.
The NHS only recommends it for adult smokers, to support quitting smoking, but there has been a rise in non-smokers taking up the habit.
The official figures show 280 patients of all ages needed hospital stays so far this year because of vapes, compared to 317 in 2023.
And while rates of serious illness among young people are low, they are rising, from just 11 in 2020 to 51 last year.
Here we look at all the ways vaping could be damaging young bodies…
1. Damage sperm
Young boys who vape risk passing on damaged genes to their future children.
A 2023 study from the universities of Southampton and Bergen in Norway found smoking increased the chances of their children developing asthma, obesity and lung problems.
The scientists warned that vaping could also cause similar health conditions.
The findings, published in the journal Clinical Epigenetics, were “much more pronounced” in children whose fathers started smoking during puberty, compared to those who started smoking at any time before conception.
Nathan Chesworth, 16, was admitted to hospital twice with two collapsed lungs after he had been vaping[/caption]
The teen, who has since sworn off the habit, used to vape in school[/caption]
The evidence came from people whose fathers smoked as teenagers in the 60s and 70s when smoking tobacco was much more common.
But nicotine found in e-cigarettes could have a similar effect, according to University of Southampton professor John Holloway.
He said: “It’s deeply worrying that teenagers today, especially teenage boys, are now being exposed to very high levels of nicotine through vaping.
“We can’t be sure vaping will have similar effects across generations but we shouldn’t wait a couple of generations to prove what impact teenage vaping might have.”
2. Slow down brain development
Vaping nicotine can permanently affect brain development in people under the age of 25, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
It said that nicotine consumed during teenage years can harm the parts of the brain that control attention, learning, mood, and impulse control.
It can also change the way new memories are formed, which can increase the risk of addiction.
“Young people are particularly susceptible to nicotine addiction due to their brains building synapses faster than adult brains which helps them learn,” said the BMA report.
“Young people can become addicted more easily than adults.”
Another concern is over heavy metals being released from the heating element inside the vape after an investigation into some that were confiscated from school pupils found high levels of metals in the vaping liquid.
Kyla Blight, 17, suffered ‘burst hole in her lung’ after vaping the equivalent of 57 cigarettes a day[/caption]
The teen said she assumed vapes were harmless and thought nothing would happen to her[/caption]
Tazmin, Kyla’s sister admitted e-cigs burst a hole in her lung too just weeks later[/caption]
The 19-year-old said she continued to vape, even when it nearly killed Kyla[/caption]
“High levels of metals such as lead, nickel, and chromium were found in the e-liquid that far exceeds safe exposure,” said the BMA report.
Previous research has shown that lead in the bloodstream can harm brain development in children and lower IQ.
3. Tooth decay
People who vape are more likely to experience tooth decay.
Decay is the top reason for hospital admission in under-18s in the UK.
Dr Michael Heffernan, a dentist at The Wessex Dental Specialist Care, which is part of Bupa Dental Care said most vapes contain dangerous chemicals that can harm your teeth.
But the very act of vaping and sucking in air could in itself lead to tooth decay.
He told the Sun: “When your mouth is dry, the harmful bacteria can grow and overcome your protective bacteria, and increased bacteria levels can lead to the development of tooth decay and gum disease,
“This often appears in the form of increased sticky plaque, which causes inflamed, swollen and bleeding gums, sensitive teeth and bad breath.
“We also know that nicotine (present in e-cigarettes) can restrict blood flow to the gums, and poor circulation can result in more significant gum disease around teeth and potential loss of dental implants.
“However, these effects are less harmful than smoking or chewing tobacco products.”
4. Heart disease
Many kids think of vaping as less harmful than smoking cigarettes because there is no smoke.
However, some of the chemicals found in vapes can be damaging to the heart.
The American Heart Association (AHA) released a scientific statement linking vaping among teens and cardiovascular disease.
“The latest research suggests that vaping is as harmful to the body’s cardiovascular systems as cigarettes,” said Dr Hoang Nguyen a cardiologist from Memorial Care Heart and Vascular Institute in California.
Nicotine is addictive and overstimulates the sympathetic nervous system, causing the heart to beat harder and faster and blood pressure to rise, which could in the long term raise the risk of heart disease.
As yet, there is no evidence of this leading directly to heart attacks or other cardiovascular problems, but chronic overstimulation of the heart is known to be a risk factor for cardiac failure.
5. Lung disease
Vaping could cause children breathing difficulties and lung damage, growing evidence suggests.
When will disposable vapes be banned?
The sale of disposable vapes will be banned in England from June 1 next year, the government has confirmed.
Ministers say the move, first announced in January by the previous government but not enacted before the general election, is intended to prevent environmental damage and protect children’s health.
Similar bans are expected to be introduced by the devolved governments in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
Vaping industry leaders have warned it could fuel a rise in illegal sales of the products.
Dr Mike McKean, a paediatric respiratory consultant and vice president of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health said he was seeing a “disturbing” rise in children presenting to hospitals with breathing issues related to vaping.
“It’s a very difficult thing to study, firstly, because [vaping] not been going on for too long and it’s fair to say we’re not seeing large numbers of children with severe lung disease, but it’s certainly been reported now where people have developed lung disease related to vaping,” he told the BBC.
There are also fears about some of the flavourings added to liquid vapes, particularly one that gives a cinnamon flavour, called cinnamaldehyde.
Some research has suggested it could impair the function of tiny hairs lining the tubes of the lungs,
But this study was only based on lung cells grown in a dish, so it is too early to know for sure.
Young victims
While there have been a few high-profile cases of teenagers admitted to hospital allegedly due to excessive vaping, it is still unclear if e-cigarettes were really responsible.
Nathan Chesworth, 16, was rushed to hospital after vaping left him unable to breathe and coughing up blood.
Kyla Blight, 17, suffered “burst hole in her lung” after vaping the equivalent of 57 cigarettes a day
Just weeks later, Kyla’s sister Tazmin, 19, discovered her lung had collapsed after she refused to drop the habit.
Ewan Fisher was left with the lungs of an 80-year-old smoker at 16 after vaping for six months.
Ewan Fisher, 18, who switched from cigarettes to vaping was left with the lungs of an 80-year-old after the organs failed[/caption]
The teen now has severe issues with his lungs and said he also suffers from mental health issues[/caption]
The Nottingham lad now has severe issues with his lungs and said he also suffers from mental health issues.
Certain chemicals found in vapes are known to cause acute lung injury and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and may cause asthma and lung cancer.
Researchers from the US found young people who vape are more at risk of bronchitis, inflammation of the airways, and shortness of breath.
The study, published in the British Medical Journal, found the odds of wheezing were 81 per cent more likely among past 30-day e-cigarette users than among “never users”.
The odds of bronchitic symptoms were twice as likely, while those of shortness of breath were 78 per cent more likely after accounting for survey wave, age, sex, race and parental education.
Anyone who has experienced an adverse effect should report it to the UK’s Medicines & Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) via the yellow card reporting scheme.
Smoking vs. vaping
VAPING has been touted as an effective tool to help people quit smoking.
Though vaping is substantially less harmful than smoking, the habit isn’t completely harmless and comes with its own set of risks.
The NHS only recommends it for adult smokers, to support quitting smoking.
GP and author Dr Philippa Kaye explained to The Sun that the differences between vaping and smoking – and whether one is better than the other – is “complicated”.
“In a nutshell, vaping is better than smoking, but breathing air is better than vaping at all.”
Vaping exposes users to far fewer toxins – and at lower levels – than smoking cigarettes.
Switching to vaping significantly reduces your exposure to toxins that can cause cancer, lung disease, and diseases of the heart and circulation like heart attack and stroke.
These diseases are not caused by nicotine, which is relatively harmless to health. But research has still linked vaping to a higher risk of failure and lung disease.
Health risks of cigarettes
- Smokers are more likely than nonsmokers to develop heart disease, stroke, and lung cancer
- Smokers are at greater risk for diseases that affect the heart and blood vessels
- Smoking can cause lung disease by damaging your airways and the small air sacs
- Smoking can cause cancer almost anywhere in your body
- It affects overall health too, such as your mouth, eyes, immune system and fertility
Health risks of vaping
- They can cause side effects such as throat and mouth irritation, headache, cough and feeling sick
- They could lead to tooth decay
- They could damage heart health
- They could cause lung disease
- They could slow brain development
Read more on how vaping can affect your health here.
Sources: NHS, CDC
