With the summer holidays underway young people have more time on their hands but it could also mean parents have more time to be aware of their children’s behaviour. This could include them having a vaping habit, which public health experts believe could be damaging in the long term and expose them to risky products.
Wiltshire Police tackle contaminated vapes
Wiltshire Police are using a device developed by Bath University to detect contaminated vapes confiscated within the county’s schools. This follows concerns about the use of the addictive drug spice within vapes, often when young people believe they have obtained a THC vape. Although both are illegal in the UK, spice is a synthetic drug which is far more dangerous. It can cause serious side effects like breathing problems, heart attacks and seizures. Other symptoms include feeling dizzy, vomiting, heart racing, sweating, anxiety, and paranoia.
The police are working with Bath University, Swindon Borough Council and Wiltshire Council to test suspected contaminated vapes to mitigate any further risks to students. There have been some cases of hospitalisation of vapers in some severe cases, and investigations remain ongoing as to the origin of where these vapes were purchased.
Police Community Support Officers, Jon Akehurst, said, “We want to find out if any of these vapes have THC or spice in them, which could help us form a hotspot map where there are concerns in the local communities and where it is suspected that children are accessing these contaminated vapes. We can then look at what actions we might take, such as warrants and working with Trading Standards.”
Last summer an investigation led by Bath University’s Professor of Applied Biochemistry University, Chris Pudney, found that 1 in 6 (16.6%) of 596 vapes confiscated in 38 schools across England contained spice. Pudney said his team, “were incredibly shocked to find how much spice there was,” and said their research showed that “it is everywhere” and in “every social strata”.
Nicotine risk for young people
Most vapes contain nicotine which is legal, and is also found in cigarettes, but it is an addictive substance that can be hard to stop using once you have started. The NHS states that nicotine is riskier for young people than for adults, as evidence suggests the developing brain is more sensitive to its addictive effects. A recent scientific paper examining the impact of vaping in young people said evidence showed that nicotine had caused long-term negative impacts on brain development.
The charity, Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), meanwhile is concerned that the messages about the potential harms of vaping on young people are causing confusion among the public. Its most recent online surveys found that 56% of adults, up from 50% last year, and 63% of young people, a rise from 58% in 2024, now believe vaping is as harmful or more harmful than smoking.
In reality the evidence shows that vaping is less harmful than smoking. A UK government study published in 2022 found that there was significantly lower exposure to harmful substances that can cause cancer, lung disease, and diseases of the heart and circulation like heart attack and stroke, from vaping compared to smoking. However, the NHS says children and non-smokers should never vape.
There is also evidence that vaping can be an effective tool for quitting smoking and it is promoted by the NHS for this purpose. However, the ASH survey found that over a quarter (26%) of adults who currently smoke have never tried vaping.
ASH is now calling on the UK government to urgently give the House of Lords time to scrutinise the Tobacco and Vapes Bill so it becomes law more quickly. The House of Lords is now on its summer recess and is due to sit again at the beginning of September. The Bill will bring in measures that would ban brightly coloured vape packaging and flavour descriptors; restrict vape advertising; point-of-sale displays and marketing strategies targeting young people. ASH is also calling on the government to implement a communications strategy which reinforces the greater harm of smoking over vaping and encouraging smokers to switch.
We offer schools and colleges the HALO Smart Sensor which can support them to tackle vaping among their students. It will send an alert when all vaping is detected and can distinguish THC vapes. If you are located in Bristol and you would like support to tackle vaping among young people please get in touch.
