Health chiefs' concern over amount of children vaping in Shropshire
Concerns over vaping amongst children in Shropshire are being looked into by health bosses.
Shropshire Council's Health and Wellbeing Board will discuss a report on the issue at its meeting on Thursday, January 19.
It says that "anecdotal evidence from Shropshire is that vaping among children and young people is increasing".
It says particularly those working with young people have described seeing "many children using vapes, especially at school".
Vaping has seen a huge increase across society, as one of the most successful means of giving up smoking.
But, there are concerns that youngsters who have never smoked are taking up vaping – which is described in the report as "not risk-free" and with its "long-term effects still unclear".
In the update to councillors it is explained that work is underway to assess how many children and young people in Shropshire are vaping, and to look at what messages can be used to communicate potential risks without undermining vaping as an anti-smoking measure.
The report states: "Anecdotal evidence from Shropshire is that vaping among children and young people is increasing, particularly in schools and there are concerns of a link with exploitation risk.
"In the short and medium term, evidence to date suggests that vaping poses only a small fraction of the risks of smoking.
"However, vaping is not risk-free and its long-term effects still unclear. It is not recommended for children and young people. Whilst a popular and effective quit tool for smokers, the advice is that those who do not vape should not smoke."
The report to be considered by councillors also outlines efforts to stop the sale of illegal vaping products.
It states: "The council’s trading standards team has and continues to prioritise enforcement activities aimed at tackling the supply of illegal nicotine inhaling products (vapes) and to assess whether retailers who stock vapes (illegal or legitimate) are willing to sell to children.
"A number of enforcement visits and age-restricted sales test purchasing operations have been undertaken across the county to a range of retail premises. This has led to the identification and seizure of 1,044 illegal vaping products and three sales of vapes to children. The underage sales are the subject of further investigation to determine the appropriate level of enforcement and sanction."
