Pediatricians call for ban on puffs in Scotland

The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) is calling on the Scottish Government to immediately ban disposable e-cigarettes to protect children and young people. Paediatricians are increasingly concerned about the growing popularity of puffs among young people, according to the RCPCH.[1].

According to ASH Scotland, Scotland has an opportunity to re-establish itself as a leading nation in public health by introducing its own ban in 2024, following the lead of several EU countries that have also signalled their intention to ban the products. In Scotland, one in ten 15-year-olds regularly use e-cigarettes, up from 3 in 2018.

Around two-thirds of Scottish local governments support banning single-use e-cigarettes.

Concerns about consumption by young adolescents

E-cigarettes may be more addictive than traditional cigarettes, pediatricians say, but the long-term health effects are less clear.

Mairi Stark, RCPCH Scotland lead, said paediatricians were increasingly concerned about the rate of puff use among children and adolescents. She said vaping products should not be used by children at all. At best, they are a smoking cessation tool for adult smokers, at worst a harmful pathway to nicotine addiction.

It is no surprise, she says, that these products are so popular with young people, as the marketing is aimed at them in particular: the products are cheap, have attractive colours and packaging, and come in a wide range of exotic and sweet flavours.

Ash Scotland welcomes this request and points out that nicotine is highly addictive. Added to this is the fact that many of these disposable vapes contain toxic chemicals that have not been tested for inhalation. This is particularly worrying for children and young people as their lungs are still developing.

According to the RCPCH, Scotland has taken a more proportionate and cautious approach to e-cigarettes than its English counterparts, which are outliers in the world. Scottish paediatricians are in agreement in calling on the Scottish Government to ban disposable e-cigarettes once and for all. Mairi Stark said: " It's time to prioritize our children's health and the environment ".

A request that complements a previous study on the environmental impact of puffs in Scotland.

Last February[2]The Scottish Government had urgently commissioned a review into the environmental impacts and management of puffs in the country. The new review, which comes amid renewed concerns about the harmful health impacts of the disposable devices, is expected to lead to policy responses, including an outright ban on the products.

These are often poorly recycled because they are thrown into household waste and they pose fire risks. investigation A joint study by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism, Sky News and the Daily Telegraph revealed in July 2022 that two disposable e-cigarettes are thrown into the bin every second in the UK. Over the course of a year, this waste represents enough lithium to make around 1,200 electric car batteries.

Keywords: Scotland, puffs, disposable e-cigarettes, ban, vaping, children, environment

AE

[1] Rachel Hall, Disposable vapes should be banned to protect children, UK paediatricians say, The Guardian, published June 6, 2023, accessed the same day

[2] Tobacco-free generation, Scotland launches study into environmental impact of puffs, published February 6, 2023, accessed June 6, 2023