Health officials from across the East Midlands want a regional crackdown on the “concerning” and “inappropriate” illegal sale of vapes to under 18s

Public health officials from across the East Midlands want a regional crackdown on the “concerning” and “inappropriate” illegal sale and marketing of vapes to under 18s.

An official joint statement on vaping, endorsed by the Association of Directors of Public Health for the East Midlands (including Derby and Derbyshire), along with each council’s tobacco control lead, is clear: “For people who smoke, vaping is much safer; if you don’t smoke, don’t vape.”

The statement, which is now in the process of being endorsed by each of the East Midlands councils, with Derby City Council to discuss it next week, details: “Though not risk free, vaping is considerably safer than smoking. As such, smokers across the East Midlands are encouraged to switch to vaping to reduce the harm from combustible tobacco. 

“E-cigarettes are an effective stop smoking aid, especially when combined with behavioural support. 

“Smokers who want to switch to vaping (to quit) are encouraged to do so with the help of their local stop smoking service.

“E-cigarettes are an age restricted product, and we are against inappropriate marketing practices that promote them to under 18’s. 

“Trading Standards should be given the tools necessary to undertake enforcement work and other measures to protect children and young people across the East Midlands.

“E-cigarettes are not for children, and their use should be reserved exclusively for adult smokers. 

“The increase in youth vaping is concerning, and public health teams across the East Midlands should continue to monitor the situation. 

“Furthermore, those working in trading standards, and education settings, should be supported in addressing this issue.

“There is currently insufficient evidence to assess whether vaping is safe during pregnancy, however, the harms of tobacco smoking are well known and all pregnant women who smoke should be supported to quit. 

“The current consensus is that pregnant women who want to switch to vaping (to quit) should not be discouraged from doing so providing they understand that e-cigarettes are not medically licensed.”

Statistics for Derby (from 2022) show that a significantly higher proportion of people in the city smoke compared to the national average, at 19.3 per cent of adults compared to 12.7 per cent, alongside smoking during pregnancy at 10.9 per cent compared to 8.8 per cent.

The “cost” to Derby of smoking through impacts on the NHS, social care, lost earnings, unemployment and smoking-related fires is £327 million per year, the city council reports.

City council officials write in their report: “Vaping is an effective smoking cessation aid, which many addicted smokers find helpful for supporting them to quit. 

“Given the multiple and serious health risks associated with smoking, switching to vaping to stop smoking is much safer for people who smoke. However, vaping is not risk free – the long-term health effects are unknown. 

“Therefore, non-smokers and children and young people should not start vaping.”

In December, Derbyshire County Council supported a ban on candy floss, bubble gum, salted caramel, ice cream, and lemonade vape flavours in an aim to lessen the appeal to young people.

It said smoking was responsible for 3,000 deaths in Derbyshire every year, along with 8,000 hospital admissions, costing £259 million in “lost productivity, health and social care costs and fires”.

The authority detailed that in Derbyshire (excluding Derby) 14 per cent of Derbyshire adults smoke, with 11.8 per cent of adults smoking during pregnancy.

Last year, Ellie Houlston, the county council’s director of public health, said: “Vaping should never be targeted at children and we need to reduce the number of young people accessing vape products by continuing to support tighter e-cigarette regulations where necessary.”

Dr Robyn Dewis, director of public health at Derby City Council, had said: “It is illegal to sell vapes to children and marketing vapes to young people is totally unacceptable.

“I am very concerned that current disposable vape products, with bright colours and sweet-like flavours, are particularly attractive to young people.

The Association of Directors of Public Health for the East Midlands includes: Derby, Derbyshire, Leicester, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, North Northamptonshire, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, Rutland and West Northamptonshire.