Engaging with young people - vaping

During visits to Warwickshire colleges, Healthwatch Warwickshire invited young people to share their thoughts and experiences of vaping. They spoke to 131 people. Nationally smoking rates have declined, and vaping has become more common. They heard how vaping was used by young people to support their mental health, or as a preferred alternative to other addictions. Some young people considered vaping a habit which was easy to stop, whilst others told about the challenge of addiction.

Low Motivation to Quit: Many young people said they view vaping as a habit and not addictive. Vaping feels normal for many young people due to the influence of family and friends, reducing their motivation to quit. Programs aimed at young people, with messages that address their needs, explain the risks, and offer harm-reduction advice for those not ready to quit, may help.

Vaping as a coping mechanism: Young people said that they use vaping to manage their mental health, to cope with challenging situations, or as a preference to other addictions. This could prevent young people considering stop-smoking services because of the worry that quitting will make them feel worse. Providing mental health support and focusing on wellbeing could make quitting services more attractive.

Supporting those who would like to quit: Some young people said they considered themselves addicted to vaping, but few knew where to get help. Ensuring support is easy to find in familiar places, like schools or colleges, or by working with education partners, can make sure young people know about these services