This short briefing is to help local authorities respond to growing concerns about youth vaping in their communities. Written by ASH, it has been endorsed by the organisations whose logos are included. It is primarily for public health officials and trading standards officers, but also sets out important information for councillors, schools, parents and retailers. Links to further information are also provided.

Key messages:

• Vaping is not risk free, and NICE recommends that vaping should be discouraged in children and young people who have never smoked.
• However, vaping is much less harmful than smoking1 and is an effective quitting aid for adult smokers.2 Smoking is a leading cause of disease, disability and premature death.
• It is illegal to sell e-cigarettes and vaping products containing nicotine, or tobacco, to under-18s. Enforcement of laws on underage sales, sales of illegal products, and point of sale advertising are the responsibility of trading standards and complaints should be made through the Citizens Advice online portal.
• Complaints about all other inappropriate advertising and promotion of vaping to under-18s, for example on social media such as Tik Tok or Instagram, should be made to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) through the online complaints portal
• Adverse reactions associated with vaping should be reported to the MHRA via the yellow card scheme. The more information you can provide about the product used the better.
• The proportion of young people who vape has increased, but media reports that youth vaping risks becoming a potential public health catastrophe’ leading to a ‘generation hooked on nicotine’ 3 are not substantiated by the evidence.