Total votes
5-11 votes
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?"
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.
In our corner shop no one ever gets ID'd. They just sell them even to people in school uniforms.
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.
Thank you to Caroline Cerny (Deputy Chief Executive of ASH) and Dr Mike McKean (Vice President for Policy, Royal College of Paediatricians and Child Health) for responding to our young people's votes!
"It’s really interesting to hear young people’s views on how easy it is for them for them to get hold of vapes. For too long, many vapes have been marketed with bright colours, attractive packaging and enticing flavour names, all of which can make them appeal to children. The good news is that the government now has the powers to take action to curb this kind of marketing. It has recently announced plans to put vapes in plain packaging, limit flavour names and restrict how they can be placed in shops. We hope all of these measures will help protect children from vapes, while still ensuring that they are available to adults who smoke and want to use them to quit smoking.”
Caroline Cerny - Deputy Chief Executive, Action on Smoking & Health
“It's great to see over 64,000 children and young people share their views with Vote for Schools on vaping and what needs to happen next. As a children's doctor, I don't want to see more young people starting to vape. Vapes are still quite new, and we don't yet know everything about how they might affect children's health in the future. But the evidence we do have is raising concerns. That's why it is important that researchers continue to study vaping so we can better understand the risks and take action when needed.
The Government is introducing new rules to make vaping less attractive and harder for young people to get hold of. The feedback in this report shows that we still have more work to do to help children and young people make healthy choices and enjoy clean, fresh air.”
Dr Mike McKean - Vice President for Policy, Royal College of Paediatricians and Child Health
