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Is it easy to get hold of vapes?

12th - 16th October 2026

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64250

Total votes

11774

5-11 votes

52476

11-16+ votes

Vapes are often marketed as an alternative to traditional smoking, with the NHS endorsing their use as a way of giving up cigarettes. However, an unintended consequence of this messaging is that they are being used by non-smokers at an increasing rate, as they are seen as less harmful. This growing user base includes young people, and there is much concern about the impact vapes could be having on teens' health, despite the fact it is illegal to sell or provide them to under-18s. As of 2026, 19% of 11-17-year olds in Great Britain have tried vaping. The ban on cheap, disposable vapes in 2025 seems to have had a positive effect in reducing numbers but the Government wants to go further, introducing a new Vaping Product Duty in 2027 in a bid to reduce their appeal. What do our young voters have to say about vapes, their packaging and how easy it is to get their hands on them?

64,250 young people took aprt in this VoteTopic, with ore participating in classroom discussions across the country.

5-9-year olds were asked, "Is it easy to make healthy choices?"

9-11-year olds discussed, "Should vapes come in plain packaging?"

Secondary, 16+ & College voters debated, "Is it easy to get hold of a vape?"

child

5-11 voter

Yes because if vapes have plain packaging children won't like how it looks so they won't get it. Since it worked with cigarettes it is probably going to work with vapes.

teen

11-16 voter

In our corner shop no one ever gets ID'd. They just sell them even to people in school uniforms.

student

11-16 voter

There are so many places to purchase them from and there aren't enough police available to enforce the rules about under 18s purchasing them.

57.7% of 5-9-year olds voted that they found it easy to make healthy choices.

  • 'Yes' voters focused on specific behaviours that they used to keep themselves healthy, such as choosing fruits and vegetables they enjoyed or brushing their teeth.
  • Others commented on how school and the adults in their lives helped them to make healthy choices.
  • The most common 'No' argument was that seeing friends enjoying something unhealth made you more likely to want it yourself.
  • 9-11-year olds largely agreed that vapes coming in plain packaging would help to dissaude people from tryiung them, especially children. Some made the link between the changes made to cigarette packets and others wanted to see similar warnings on vapes.
88.1% of Secondary and 16+ & College voters said it was easy to get hold of vapes.

  • Secondary voters overwhelmingly answered that it was easy to find vapes.
  • Voters named many sources: corner shops, older peers, family members, social media.
  • Many said local shops did not bother to check ID or didn't care about the law.
  • Some thought that seeing teenagers vaping was a common sight in their communities.
Many voters were against the government's planned changes. Cost and variety were the main improvements they wanted to see.

  • Corner shops were the most commonly mentioned source of vapes, followed by getting "through people", either family members or peers.
  • Some students echoed the views of their Primary peers that vape packaging and marketing was particularly targeting young people.
  • 16+ & College voters agreed, arguinf that the highly palatable "fruity" flavours were to blame for young people starting the habit.
  • Voters at all ages thought that vaping could carry serious health risks and that underage vaping was a cause for concern.
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