Doctors warn vaping harms young people and pregnancy
A review finds vaping linked to breathing, sleep, mental health issues in young people and harm in pregnancy.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
Doctors are warning that vaping should not be seen as a harmless part of growing up. A review by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health found that vaping is linked to a range of health problems in young people, including wheezing, coughing, poor oral and dental health, poor sleep, mental health issues and eye symptoms.
The report also reviewed published studies on the impact of vaping by children and young people. It said concerns about vaping among this group were continuing to grow and that it was a gateway to smoking. One expert quoted in the report said nicotine addiction was a big concern: "Starting something when you've not had nicotine before and then rapidly building up the amount of nicotine you're taking into your body is very harmful, very addictive."
The review found links between vaping and adverse impacts during pregnancy, with babies developing more abnormal reflexes and being at risk of low weight gain. Campaigners welcomed the report and its conclusions, but stressed that vaping is not harm-free. One campaigner said: "While it's not harm free it's significantly less harmful than smoking and vapes can be a very effective quit aid for people who are stopping smoking." They added that children should be protected from vaping while vapes remain available for adults who want to stop smoking.
The Department of Health and Social Care responded by saying children should never vape and that this evidence shows some of the risks. The department said it had already banned single-use vapes and legislated to ban advertising and sponsorship from next year. It is also consulting on proposals to crack down on packaging that appeals to children. However, the report authors said these measures were welcome but the government should go further and limit the types of flavours available.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | BBC News | BBC One |
|---|---|---|
| Report authors recommended the government go further by limiting available vape flavours. | ||
| The government has banned single-use vapes and will ban advertising and sponsorship from next year. | ||
| Vaping is associated with adverse effects during pregnancy, including abnormal reflexes and low weight gain in babies. | ||
| Vaping is associated with breathing problems, poor sleep, and mental health issues in young people. |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
The channel focused on the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health review, detailing the specific health problems linked to vaping in young people and during pregnancy. It balanced the medical findings with campaigners' comments and the government's response, maintaining a neutral, factual tone throughout.
- “I look at the nicotine addiction being like a really big thing because starting something when you've not had nicotine before and then rapidly building up the amount of nicotine you're taking into your body is very harmful, very addictive and it's not something I'd want young people to take up.”
- “While it's not harm free it's significantly less harmful than smoking and vapes can be a very effective quit aid for people who are stopping smoking.”
- “A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said children should never vape and this evidence shows just some of the risks associated.”
This channel presented the same report with identical findings, but included a brief local tease about student grades and a hospital procedure before the story. The coverage itself was consistent with the national report, with no additional local angle on vaping, and the tone remained neutral and informative.
- “I look at the nicotine addiction being like a really big thing because starting something when you've not had nicotine before and then rapidly building up the amount of nicotine you're taking into your body is very harmful, very addictive, and it's not something I'd want young people to take up.”
- “While it's not harm-free, it's significantly less harmful than smoking, and vapes can be a very effective quit aid for people who are stopping smoking.”
- “A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said, children should never vape, and this evidence shows just some of the risks associated.”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.