The UK government has announced a number of new measures to crack down on teen vaping. These measures include:
Setting up a new enforcement squad to carry out test purchases and clamp down on shops selling vapes to under-18s.
Investing £3m in a campaign to raise awareness of the risks of vaping among young people.
Working with social media companies to remove adverts for vapes that are targeted at young people.
Banning the sale of flavoured vapes, which are popular among young people.
The government says that these measures are necessary to protect young people from the risks of vaping. Vaping is often seen as a safe alternative to smoking, but there is growing evidence that it can be harmful to young people's health. For example, a recent study found that 1 in 11 (8.9%) young people in the UK either occassionally or regularly smoke (statistics taken from the study by Action on Smoking and Health).
The government's announcement has been welcomed by health campaigners. However, some critics argue that the measures do not go far enough. They say that the government should ban the sale of all vapes to under-18s, and that it should also introduce plain packaging for vapes, as it has done for cigarettes.
It remains to be seen how effective the government's new measures will be in reducing teen vaping. However, they are a step in the right direction, and they send a clear message to young people that vaping is not a safe alternative to smoking.
In addition to the measures announced by the government, there are a number of things that parents can do to help protect their children from the risks of vaping. These include:
Talking to their children about the risks of vaping.
Making sure that their children know that it is illegal to buy vapes if they are under 18.
Checking their children's bedrooms and belongings for vapes.
Talking to their children's teachers and school about the issue of vaping.
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