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Vaping, Snus and Nicotine Pouches
Unfortunately vapes, snus and nicotine pouches are increasingly popular amongst teenagers.
It is illegal in the UK for under-18s to purchase e-cigarettes or products containing nicotine and recent news articles highlight that the market
is being flooded with unsafe products aimed
at children. Vapes, snus and nicotine pouches are very easy to hide (many look like innocuous USB devices) and they are hard for teachers and parents to detect. Many teenagers have little idea about the chemical composition of the liquid they are vaping and there are concerns about long- term term health effects. Some vapes contain THC – the psychoactive ingredient in cannabis
– a Class B illegal drug. There are also major concerns about the very high nicotine content
of many vapes and therefore addiction. Whilst the NHS recommends vaping as a suitable alternative to smoking tobacco cigarettes, there are huge concerns about these products being aimed at teenagers. This is now a £15 billion industry in the UK which is predicted to grow 30% year-on-year, and it has been found that a quarter of the products purchased did not meet the standards required to be sold on UK shelves.
Tips for talking with your teenager about vapes
» Are they aware of what is in vapes? A 2018 report from the National Academies
of Science, Engineering and Medicine
found that e-cigarettes “contain and emit numerous potentially toxic substances” and exacerbated asthma and wheezing amongst adolescent users.
» What are the health effects? Short term there can be effects such as gum disease; bad bacteria thrive in that toxic environment in the mouth. Long term, do we know what the health effects will be? There is no data yet that goes beyond the 15-year mark. Young people are breathing highly toxic, usually addictive products deep into their lungs as their bodies, minds and identities are still developing.
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PASTORAL GUIDE TO MALVERN COLLEGE