Children buying vapes at school is a key concern for parents and teachers, as children as young as eight years old are buying and selling disposable vapes on school premises, according to Zurich Municipal.

Research among 1,000 UK parents (with children aged five to 17) reveals that one in seven children (14 per cent) have been caught vaping. More alarmingly, this isn’t just a problem among secondary school-aged children, as almost half of parents (48 per cent) whose children have been caught vaping were under 11 years old.

Almost two-fifths (38 per cent) of those who have been caught vaping bought them from friends at school. This is the most common way underage children who have been caught vaping are getting vapes, behind taking them from family members (32 per cent), buying them online (29 per cent) or using a fake ID to buy vapes in shops (22 per cent).

Even if children aren’t looking to buy vapes at school, they have access to them. One in five parents (19 per cent) who have children who have been caught vaping say they found disposable vapes at school, whether it’s on the playground or in the toilets.

The study has revealed that children aren’t just being caught in the act. Of those who have children who have been caught vaping, three in 10 parents (29 per cent) say they have found disposable vapes in their bedroom, and nearly one in five (17 per cent) have found devices in their child’s school bag.

Tackling the problem

At the start of the academic year in September 2024, teachers are just as concerned as parents about children vaping and are tackling the problem head on. A fifth of parents (20 per cent) are happy schools have adequate procedures in place to detect vaping, compared to just eight per cent last year.

Many parents have said that their child’s school is increasingly communicating with pupils about the dangers of vaping (26 per cent in 2024, compared to 10 per cent in 2023).

Teachers have also cracked down on those illegally selling vapes at school. One in seven parents (15 per cent) said their child had been suspended for selling vapes during school time. A further one in eight (13 per cent) have been expelled for dealing vapes on school premises.

Despite these efforts, half of parents (51 per cent) would like to see schools do more to raise awareness about the dangers of vaping.

Dangerous devices

While vaping has been linked to health problems, disposable devices can also be dangerous as they contain lithium-ion batteries, which can ignite and spark a fire if they are not stored or disposed of correctly.

One in three (34 per cent) parents have spoken to their children about how vaping may impact their health. However, only seven per cent of parents have discussed how children should dispose of vapes safely if they use or find them.

Amy Brettell, manager director at Zurich Municipal, said, “Vaping has become a huge problem in schools in recent years and is now another challenge for teachers to tackle as we start a new academic year.

"Teachers have an important role to play in educating children about the health risks associated with vaping, so it’s great to see more schools are doing this. However, some young people will be unaware that some of these devices can be dangerous and start fires if they’re stored or discarded incorrectly. We would encourage schools to talk to children about this, especially as a lot of children may be hiding vapes and doing so in unsafe places."

‘Tobacco and Vapes Bill’

Two-fifths of parents (40 per cent) welcome the government’s ‘Tobacco and Vapes Bill’ that will phase out the sale of tobacco and curb youth vaping. However, a third (34 per cent) would also like to see a national public awareness campaign educating people on how to safely dispose of single-use vapes.

Mira Osinibi, a clinical paediatric respiratory nurse specialist, said, “The biggest problem I’m seeing, particularly in my role as a paediatric respiratory nurse, is that vaping addiction in young people sits side by side with the time spent scrolling on social media. Many scroll on socials into the early hours whilst using their vape. This means the amount of time spent vaping is far higher than they were ever designed to be used for.

“It’s not as simple as telling young people to stop as many are already addicted. Access must be limited to stop these younger children falling into the same trap. This is something the government must tackle with a real sense of urgency. Whilst they smell nice and they don’t make these young addicts cough, they’re very much an unwelcome addition to children’s lives.”

Colin Stitt, head of Safer Schools at Ineqe Safeguarding Group, said, "This research is a stark warning: we must urgently safeguard our children and young people from the health risks and social harms of vaping. Banning sales and use is just the first step. We need far stronger action to curb the promotion of these products and restrict access to them, both online and offline.

"We call on the government to take decisive action and urge educators, parents, carers, and community members to educate children about the risks of vaping. Open, honest, and non-judgemental conversations at home and school can dispel myths, empower young people to make informed choices, and minimise the influence of peers."

References available on request.

Author: