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Dec 09, 2023

Disposable e-cigarettes are seducing teens but health professionals are concerned about their long-term effects on health.

When e-cigarettes first came to the market, they were advertised as the lesser of two evils, helping people move away from traditional cigarettes and the health risks associated with smoking.

But in more recent years, vapes have become something of a trend among young people. The single-use vape is practically an accessory item, and an increasing number of teenagers can be seen donning the flashy stick.

But behind the fad is a calculated marketing strategy - and health professionals are sounding the alarm.

Invented in 2019, single-use vapes usually come with coloured packages and quickly gained popularity among teens, first in the US. The trend quickly crossed the Atlantic.

The Financial Times reported that 14 per cent of English teenagers aged between 14 and 17 years old use vapes more than once a week.

In wider Europe, the numbers are also booming with a French survey highlighting over one teen out of 10 has tried vaping.

Single-use e-cigarettes’ sweet flavours are the most compelling marketing argument for younger consumers.

According to the tobacco industry watchdog organization STOP, the combination of fruity flavours, fun packages and promotion by social media influencers are destined to target and hook a new generation of users as "replacement smokers".

The survey highlighted that in France, 17 per cent of teens were using single-use devices, then shifted to other products.

With an increasing amount of research, it's becoming clear that single-use vapes are far from harmless. As with electronic cigarettes, most single-use vapes contain the highly addictive nicotine.

Almost half of the daily users are experiencing side effects such as coughing, shortness of breath and heart palpitations, the organisation Drugwatch reported.

Though the extent of the long-term effects isn't currently known due to a lack of medical research, one study showed that extended use of vaping products can significantly impair the function of the body's blood vessels, increasing the risk for cardiovascular disease.

New Zealand, known for its strict anti-tobacco guidelines, has said it will ban disposable vapes from August this year.

The country has cracked down on vaping with a new set of rules to protect young people, like a lower level of nicotine, duller flavour names and an interdiction to open vape shops in the vicinity of schools, the Health Ministry has announced.

"We recognise we need to strike a balance between preventing young people from starting to vape, at the same time as having vapes available as a cessation tool for those who genuinely want to give up smoking", said Dr Ayesha Verrall, New Zealand health minister.

The restrictions come a month after Australia announced similar measures on vaping, as the government accused the tobacco industry of trying to get the next generation of teenagers "hooked on nicotine".

The UK is also considering actions. The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) called for a ban this week.

"Youth vaping is fast becoming an epidemic among children, and I fear that if action is not taken, we will find ourselves sleepwalking into a crisis", said Dr Mike McKean RCPCH vice-president for policy who has worked as a respiratory consultant for 21 years.

A public consultation regarding youth vaping closed in the UK this week.

The French government is also considering a ban, with Françosi Braun, health minister, saying that "these products lead young people to smoke".

The Australian junior health minister Neil O’Brien called vaping "a double-edged sword" as it's believed it still represents a healthier option for cigarette smokers, an argument that the smoking industry echoed in reaction to the UK Vaping Industry Association calling for a ban.

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