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Vaping

Vaping is safer than smoking but it is not harmless

Evidence on the health impacts of vaping is limited, and we do not know the risks of vaping over the longer-term. Vaping can lead to dependence on nicotine, which negatively affects mental health and wellbeing.

Adult smokers can reduce the risk of harm from smoking by switching completely to vaping, but vaping is not recommended for non-smokers. Children and young people should not start vaping.
 

Help to stop vaping

Anyone who wants to stop smoking tobacco can get free one-to-one support from a personal stop smoking advisor, plus free stop smoking medicines from Help Me Quit. 

Help Me Quit can also provide advice and support for people who wish to quit vaping. Contact the national helpline on 0800 085 2219 for more information.

Guidance for parents, carers and teachers

Most children and young people don’t vape. However, recent data published by Public Health Wales and The School Health Research Network showed almost one-in-six Year 11 students in Wales (15.9 per cent) are regularly using vapes and more than 45 per cent of students in Year 11 say they have tried a vape.

Public Health Wales has produced guidance on vaping for parents, carers, teachers and others working with secondary-aged children in Wales. Their guide includes lots of tips for how to spot the potential signs of vaping, and how to approach a conversation about it.
 

Illegal or illicit vapes and underage vaping

There are growing numbers of illegal or illicit vaping devices on sale which don’t meet the stringent quality and safety standards within the UK. These devices can be particularly dangerous as some have been found to contain very high levels of nicotine and dangerous metals like lead. Others are labelled as being nicotine-free when they do contain nicotine.

It is illegal to sell nicotine-containing vaping devices to anyone under 18, or for adults to buy them on behalf of under-18s. 

People selling or suspected of selling illegal or illicit vapes or tobacco and people selling or suspected of selling vapes and tobacco products to under-18s can be reported anonymously to No Ifs. No Butts.