Geoff Worsley, a father from Abergele, Conwy County, has set up a petition that has gathered over 100,000 signatures, calling for stronger regulations on Vaping. The doubling of children trying vaping within the past decade has prompted calls for tighter regulations.

Why Vaping Regulations Should be Tightened

Mr. Worsley is especially concerned about the “brightly coloured packaging and sweet names attractive to kids.” YouGov data for Britain suggests experimental vaping among 11 to 17-year-olds rose from 5.6% in 2014 to 11.6% in 2023.

In his petition, Mr. Worsley calls for more regulations on shops selling vape products, stating that “just spending money on enforcement is not enough.”

Mr. Worsley believes that vaping is safer than smoking, but it shouldn’t be promoted to children. He is requesting the government to act to protect children from vaping as well as smoking.

As per the YouGov survey, disposable vapes were the top e-cigarette of choice, while most purchases of vapes were made from corner shops. Further studies have indicated that some parents are concerned that the marketing of bright colours and fruit flavours could influence more children to take up vaping.

How Dangerous is Vaping?

E-cigarettes have helped thousands of people quit smoking by eliminating tobacco from their habit. But the vapour inhaled can contain small amounts of chemicals, including nicotine, which could carry risks to a user’s overall health.

There is also a concern that young people are taking up vaping because they believe it is risk-free, and it is critical to understand that vaping carries a risk of addiction to nicotine, potentially leading to smoking addiction and long-term health issues.

Almost all marketing associated with Vaping is banned in the UK, nicotine in the product is limited, and only over 18s can legally buy them.

Conclusion

Tighter regulations on e-cigarette products will help to prevent young people from being attracted to vaping by colourful packaging and fruit flavours. Parents, the government, and the vaping industry need to work together to protect children from the harmful effects of vaping. This could include reclassifying vapes, treating them like tobacco products, and hiding them from plain view.