What impact does vaping have on children and young people?

A groundbreaking ten-year study will investigate the long-term health effects of vaping on children, as youth take-up soars. 

Stacked in shop windows, clutched by commuters, or littered on the street – vapes and e-cigarettes are everywhere. And young people love them.

Some 15.8% of 16- to 24-year-olds use the flavoured nicotine devices, Office for National Statistics (ONS) data shows – the highest percentage of any age group. 

Vapes are “normalised” amongst younger children too, reports suggest, with kids as young as eight hooked on nicotine vapour with flavours like bubblegum, cola, blue raspberry and vanilla biscuit.

• ‘Illegal vapes are already flooding the market’: What impact will disposable vapes ban really have?
• One million people in England who weren’t smokers now vape – but it’s not as alarming as it sounds

Today, the government has announced a landmark study to investigate the longterm health impacts of this widespread addiction. 

The £62m research project will track 100,000 young people aged eight to 18 years over a decade, collecting data on behaviour, biology and health records to understand what affects young people’s health and wellbeing, including the impact of vaping. 

The minister for public health and prevention, Ashley Dalton, said that “clear evidence” on health harms must be established. 

“This landmark series of studies, combined with our first nationwide youth vaping campaign, will help drive evidence-based, decisive action to protect our children’s future,” she said.

It can’t come soon enough, said Sarah Sleet, chief executive at Asthma + Lung UK.

“The number of non-smokers, particularly young people, taking up vaping is extremely worrying. The long-term impact of vaping on the lungs isn’t yet known, so research into its effect on young people is really important,” she said.

What is the government doing about young people vaping?

The vape industry markets itself as a way for people to stop smoking. With two out of every three lifelong smokers dying from related causes, it is an urgent task – but vaping isn’t a mere quit-aid.

One million people in England are now vaping despite having never been regular smokers. A growing body of research suggests that the practice has serious consequences, including increased risk of lung disease, cancer and heart disease.

In an attempt to tackle this scourge, the government is banning disposable vapes from 1 June 2025.

The Tobacco and Vapes Bill – a legacy of the previous Tory government – is also currently making its way through parliament. When passed, it will restrict on the advertising and sponsorship of vapes.

Speaking to the Big Issue last year, Chris Thomas – head of the commission on health and prosperity at the Institute for Public Policy Research – praised the ban. But he warned that companies will find ways to bypass it.

“We’re already seeing slightly chunkier vapes come onto the market that are still ostensibly disposable,” he said.

“What they’ve basically done is whacked a USB-C port on the side of them, but they’re still almost certainly intended for disposable use… The market will shift, and regulation needs to shift with that.”

These tactics make public health campaigns more important. The government will launch one today, aiming to inform young people about the hidden health dangers of vaping. 

It’s important to “arm them with the facts”, said Sleet. “It is already known that vaping can cause inflammation in the airways, and people with asthma have told us that vapes can trigger their condition,” she said.

“Vaping could put developing lungs at risk, while exposure to nicotine – also contained in vapes – can damage developing brains. This is why young people should be stopped from taking up vaping in the first place.”

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