Vaping, from innovation to crisis: How we sleepwalked into failing a generation

As a pharmacist—and, admittedly, something of a tech enthusiast—the concept of vaping initially struck me as a progressive step forward. It was marketed as a safer alternative to smoking, with reusable devices and a controlled nicotine release system. Early claims even suggested it was unlikely to be a direct route to nicotine addiction, catering only for those already smoking traditional cigarettes.

Fast forward just a few years, and I now find myself staring at the reality around us in disbelief. Many things get me feeling frustrated, but seeing school children walking to school vaping, whilst I walk the dog in the morning, Is probably in the top three. The scale of the problem is demonstrable when we see large NHS Trusts needing to create clinics specifically to address vaping addiction in 11-15 year olds.

What disappoints me most, and I include myself to a large extent in this, is how as parents, as healthcare leaders, as those in positions of power, we have looked the other way and quietly let this happen. I did at least try to reach out to our last MP (Conservative, Michelle Donellan) on the subject, but we failed to see quick, decisive action those in power, or even noise at a local community level.

The reusable devices of old have given way to cheap, colourful, single-use vapes. These are now strewn across pavements and car parks—often flattened under tyres—contributing to an alarming rise in battery and plastic waste. But even more concerning than the environmental toll is the public health crisis we’ve allowed to creep in almost unnoticed.

What was once heralded as harm reduction has, for many young people, become a direct route into nicotine addiction.

National statistics are stark: around 20% of 11–17-year-olds in the UK have tried vaping, and of those, a third are likely to have developed nicotine dependence. That equates to approximately 7 in every 100 teenagers in Chippenham potentially addicted to vaping.

This isn’t just an issue of concern—it's a full-blown public health emergency.

I recently (repeatedly) reached out to GP practices, secondary schools and neighbourhood Policing team to understand what measures are being taken locally. Only two organisations responded, despite chasing a response — though I was heartened by what I heard.

Hardenhuish School has taken tangible steps. Not only do they have a robust educational programme embedded within their drugs policy, but they’ve also modified their toilet facilities to make them more open and easier to monitor. These physical and policy-based interventions demonstrate a commitment to both awareness and prevention. Our local Neighbourhood Policing Team have also been working proactively in this area. Thanks to Sgt Jamie Ball from the team, who reported, "we have accompanied Trading Standards to three premises this month to search their stock for newly illegal single-use vapes. Thankfully all passed. We have a further joint-operation with Trading Standards, this will target single use vapes, illegal tobacco and counterfeit goods."

But these two responses are not enough.

We urgently need all local schools, GP practices, youth services and policing to come together in a coordinated effort to tackle this issue. Vaping dependency in young people is a problem that crept in quietly, but it will take deliberate, vocal and sustained action to reverse it.

With the ban on disposable vapes coming into force in June 2025, we may finally see the beginnings of progress—but it won’t be enough on its own. We need to close the loopholes, especially those around online sales, where ID checks are often non-existent. My suggestion to our previous MP was to force online sellers to only accept credit cards as a means of payment (something you cannot possess in your own name under 18). And we need our local police forces to continue ensuring that local retailers are complying with the law and not selling to under-18s.

This is something I feel strongly about, and I hope that comes across; whilst what I can affect as a Town Councillor is likely highly limited, if nothing else, i'll continue to make some noise and get people talking. We owe it to this generation to take this seriously. We should never have allowed children to blindly walk into addiction. Now, our job is to help them find a way out—and ensure we never repeat this mistake again.

Image credit: The Sun