The prevalence of vaping among young people is a global issue.
In the UK, a report from 2022 found that 7 percent of those aged 11 to 17 were regular users of vapes, even though the legal age for vaping is 18. This represented more than double the prevalence from 2021.
The trend has continued, with Action on Smoking and Health reporting that 7.2 percent of this age group were vaping in 2024.
In contrast, the United States saw a drop in vaping among youths. According to 2024 data from the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA), 1.6 million middle and high school students reported using e-cigarettes, down from 2.13 million the previous year.
While the numbers are decreasing in the US, the issue persists in Britain. This has led to the establishment of a dedicated clinic for children with vaping addiction at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool.
The clinic targets 11-15 year olds and began seeing its first patients in January 2025.
According to a recent news release, the clinic provides a comprehensive approach that involves assessing each young person’s level of nicotine dependency and offering treatment options. This includes nicotine replacement therapy and guidance on managing peer pressure and changing behaviors.
Professor Rachel Isba, who leads the service, has highlighted the severity of vaping rates among British youth and the increasing nicotine dependency among children.
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She explained to The Mirror: “I’ll ask them ‘when you wake up in the morning, how long is it before you first use your vape’… and some children are vaping before they get out of bed, which they perhaps wouldn’t do if it’s a cigarette.”
“It’s on their bedside table with them next to their mobile phone,” Isba added.
Elsewhere, Isba noted that young people are aware of the negative health impacts of vaping and are motivated to quit.
She stated, “With the rise in the number of children and young people vaping and the significant uncertainty regarding the long-term impacts and potential harms in this age group, our clinic aims to provide crucial support for individuals affected by vaping.”
Isba also mentioned that the hospital aims to expand its vaping-related services in the future.