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Medical professionals have highlighted concerns that vaping may cause significant health issues for children and young people, urging measures to make it less appealing to these age groups. The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) conducted a comprehensive review of approximately 81 studies examining vaping’s health effects. Their findings indicate an association between vaping and increased respiratory problems, as well as evidence of harm to infants born to mothers who used vapes during pregnancy.
The RCPCH emphasized that vaping should not be considered a harmless activity for young people. In response, the organization has called on the UK government to strengthen proposed regulations, including limiting the variety of available vape flavors. The detailed review, published in the journal Archives of Disease in Childhood, focused on health and social outcomes tied to vaping among children and adolescents. These outcomes include symptoms such as wheezing, coughing, poor dental health, disrupted sleep, mental health difficulties, and eye irritation.
Professor Will Carroll, co-author of the systematic study, highlighted “clear links” between vaping, respiratory symptoms, nicotine dependence, and a tendency to progress to cigarette smoking. He stressed the importance of making vaping products less accessible and attractive to children. Similarly, Dr. Mike McKean, Vice-President for Policy at the RCPCH, noted: “Vaping is still a relatively new product, and there is much we do not yet know about its long-term impact on children and young people but a clear and concerning picture is emerging.” He added that ongoing efforts are necessary to keep pace with the changing market and continue shielding young people from nicotine.
In line with these concerns, the UK government initiated a 12-week consultation in July aimed at reducing the appeal of vape packaging and presentation for children. Proposed measures include requiring plain packaging with restricted branding and permitting only simple flavor names such as “apple” or “cola.” Additional rules would mandate that vaping products are kept out of sight in retail environments, similar to tobacco products. This consultation follows the recent introduction of the Tobacco and Vapes Act, which seeks to establish the UK’s first smoke-free generation by banning the sale of cigarettes to individuals born after January 1, 2009. Dr. McKean described this legislation as “an important step towards protecting children from nicotine addiction,” but warned it should not be considered the sole solution. Professor Carroll urged the government to “go further and limit the types of flavours available to them as opposed to just their descriptions.”
Supporting the discussion, a poll conducted for the charity Action on Smoking and Health (Ash) found that nearly one in five British children aged 11 to 17 have tried vaping. Ash’s chief executive Hazel Cheeseman acknowledged that while vaping is less harmful than smoking, it is not without risks. She emphasized the necessity of strict controls on marketing and promotion to curb youth vaping, drawing parallels to historical tobacco control efforts. Andrew McCracken from Asthma + Lung UK echoed the sentiment, emphasizing that while vaping may assist current smokers in quitting, “anyone who doesn’t smoke, shouldn’t vape, and that is especially true for children.” The Department of Health and Social Care reiterated its stance that “children should never vape,” pointing to the evidence of risks and noting recent and upcoming policy actions—including the ban on single-use vapes, restrictions on advertising and sponsorship, and ongoing consultations targeting child-friendly packaging
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