Introduction to vaping in schools
This toolkit contains everything you need to help you prevent and reduce the risk of vaping as well as respond to individual incidents linked to vaping within your school or setting. It includes how to take a whole-school approach to prevention, and how to manage an incident with individual children and young people (CYP).
What is vaping?
Vaping is defined as 'the action of inhaling and exhaling vapour containing nicotine and flavouring created by an electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) or other vaping device.' Vaping is not completely harmless and is only recommended for adult smokers, to support quitting smoking and staying quit. See Vaping to quit smoking - Better Health - NHS (www.nhs.uk).
How is vaping impacting our CYP?
In March/April 2023 the proportion of CYP experimenting with vaping had grown by 50% year on year, from one in thirteen to one in nine.
More than half of 'never smokers' say they vape 'just to give it a try' compared to a quarter of those who have 'ever smoked'. Around one in five 'ever' and 'never smokers' say 'other people do it so I join in' while 21% of 'ever smokers' say they vape because they 'like the flavours' compared to 12% of 'never smokers'.
Where do CYP buy vapes from?
The most frequent source of vapes is shops (48%), closely followed by given (46%) and informal purchase (26%).
What does the research say?
- Use of e-cigarettes (vapes) among young people in Great Britain - Action for Smoking (2023)
- The Children's Commissioner's response to 'Youth vaping: call for evidence' (2023)
Resources
Help! I've got a pupil or group of pupils that are vaping, what can I do?
Padlet with step by step guidance and resources:
Individual or group approach page
We would like to take a whole-school approach to preventing/responding to vaping
Whole School Approach Guide with audit tool and action plan:
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