Fears 'highly addictive' vapes are being 'targeted specifically at children' as police raid shops
21.07.2023 - 14:59
/ manchestereveningnews.co.uk
Health bosses have warned of a terrifying trend in which vape products are being 'targeted specifically at children.' This comes after a series of raids carried out by police and trading standards in Bolton on shops reported to be selling e-cigarettes to school-age children.
They seized 2,270 illegal vape products from shops across the borough during the raids. The action came after parents and headteachers raised concerns over the growing trend of vape use in schools. It is illegal to sell vaping products to anyone aged under-18. Lynn Donkin, Bolton’s director of public health has talked about the importance of tackling under-age sales.
"This legal age limit exists for a reason," she said. "Worryingly, many vape products appear to be targeted and marketed specifically at children, with branding, flavours and cheaper disposables designed to appeal to children and young people.
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"Vaping is less harmful than smoking and can help people break the routines of smoking. But it isn’t harm free. In the short-term vaping can cause coughing, mouth and throat irritation, shortness of breath, and headaches.
"We don’t know the long-term effects. It is important to protect young lungs and brains. Nicotine vapes are highly addictive and for this reason the advice is if you don’t smoke, don’t start vaping."
She added that figures show that while most young people don’t vape, rates have been rising. In England, the proportion of 11 to 15-year-olds using vapes increased from six per cent to nine per cent from 2018 to 2021.
Recent weeks have seen an increasing number of high-profile calls for action to reverse the rise in vaping amongst children