Action on vaping after young people speak out
Children and young people in Blackpool have spoken out about their experiences of smoking and vaping. Their stories highlight a desire to take control of their health, a need for better education on the health risks of vaping and improved support for those who want to quit.
With support from Healthwatch Blackpool, they've helped create a national discussion on the rise of teen vaping, motivating the government to act. The government's Tobacco and Vapes bill hopes to stop young people from starting to smoke and make it harder to access vaping products by proposing a ban on single-use vapes and the marketing of nicotine products to children.
Using the voices and experiences of children and young people in their community, Healthwatch Blackpool is working to improve education on the risks of e-cigarettes and vapes.
The backstory
Following a rise in concerns about young people using e-cigarettes and vapes in Blackpool, local Healthwatch asked over 4,000 children and young people for their views. They also spoke to local parents and educators.
Not only did nearly a third of young people say that they vaped, but the groundbreaking findings also highlighted how stress, peer pressure and ease of access have contributed to the increase in the use of e-cigarettes and vapes.
Healthwatch Blackpool's report also highlighted a need for better education to help young people who need to kick the habit or not start in the first place.
"I think there should be more information in schools and just overall more publicity about vaping." - feedback shared with Healthwatch Blackpool.
52% of children and young people told Healthwatch Blackpool they felt that they would benefit from further education on smoking and vaping.
So, how have young people speaking up helped address the gaps in education?
Concerning gaps in stop-smoking support revealed
Long waits and inflexible support. Accounts of feeling judged or dismissed. People’s experiences of stop-smoking support show more needs to be done to help those trying to quit.
Better information on social media
45% of children and young people said they rely on social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram to find information about vaping. Over a third of children and young people were concerned by the lack of information available on the long-term health consequences of vaping.
In response, Healthwatch Blackpool worked with young people to develop a vaping support toolkit and resources to make it easier for children and young people to access accurate, reliable information on the risks of smoking and vaping. They also promoted this information heavily on the social media channels that young people said they used.
Improved education in schools
After sharing the findings of their initial report with local and national decision-makers, Healthwatch Blackpool partnered with their local public health team to improve education in schools and the support offered to students who want to quit smoking or vaping.
In addition to helping to develop a new course and train local teachers, all local schools now have access to the resources. Local colleges are now also offering more support to young people who want to stop vaping or smoking.
They are also working with health partners across Blackpool to ensure children and young people are aware of the facts surrounding vaping, and public health officials are developing a course to educate young people on vaping.
Local concern to national conversation
Healthwatch Blackpool's findings also attracted national interest and contributed to government consultations on reducing vaping among young people.
More on young people and vaping:
Inspired by Healthwatch Blackpool's work, other local Healthwatch undertook research last year to understand young people's views on smoking and vaping.
E-cigarette use in adolescents across Bath, North East Somerset and Swindon
Young people's experiences of vaping in West Northamptonshire
The Vaping Habits of Children and Young People in Trafford
