Study Reveals Number of Youngsters Vaping

Key points:

1. A survey has revealed that approximately 10% of teenagers in Kent, England are using e-cigarettes, with 27% believing they are addictive. 49% of e-cigarettes are purchased from corner shops. 52% mentioned TikTok as a platform for promoting e-cigarettes, with over half expressing no desire to quit using e-cigarettes.

2. Starting in June, disposable e-cigarettes will be banned in the UK. Kent County plans to conduct another survey in 2026 to evaluate the effectiveness of the ban.

3. The Director of Public Health pointed out that the next step is to address the issue of nicotine pouches.

2Firsts, reporting from Shenzhen - A survey of 5,493 students in 33 schools in Kent County, UK, found that approximately 10% (562 people) are using e-cigarettes, Kentonline reported.

The results of the survey were submitted to the Kent County Council’s Health Reform and Public Health cabinet committee on March 11. 

Jason Hickson, from the Kent County Analysis Team, stated that the sample needed to cover the entire county and all age groups, emphasizing that e-cigarettes are seen as a more socially acceptable behavior than smoking.

Hickson told the committee that the result showed that one-third of daily e-cigarette users feel the need to vape every hour, and 27% believe or know that they are addicted. The majority of e-cigarette products come from corner stores (49%) and vape shops (36%), with over three-quarters of respondents preferring fruit flavors.

In addition, 52% of respondents mentioned TikTok as a social media platform that promotes e-cigarette products. 

45% of respondents said e-cigarettes can help them "cchill out and relax," while 39% said e-cigarettes make them feel less anxious. More than half of current e-cigarette users say they do not want to stop using e-cigarettes.

Starting in June, disposable e-cigarettes will be banned in the UK. The committee has been informed that a similar investigation will be conducted in 2026 to evaluate the statistical changes after the ban takes effect.

Dr. Anjan Ghosh, Director of Public Health for Kent County, pointed out that the next issue to address is nicotine pouches. 

He stated that, while some progress has been made in the fight against smoking, e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches have become new areas of challenge.