Vaping/ e-Cigarettes

The long-term health effects of vaping are still not clear, but the legal age to use or purchase vapes and associated materials is 18, and they should not be sold to, or used by, school children. As with any age-restricted item, bringing such material into school will have serious consequences. 

Vapes are also ecologically disastrous: 1.3 million single-use vapes are being thrown in UK landfills every week: enough to cover 22 football pitches in a year. Single-use vapes made up 52 percent of all vapes bought in the UK amongst 18 to 34 year-olds last year.

We have heard that there are some newsagents and other outlets in the local area who have been selling vapes to under 18s without carrying out rigorous age checks. An additional concern is that some vapes are being designed to look quite innocuous, such as single use Elf Bars, pictured above.

Mr S Auckland, Designated Safeguarding Lead and Deputy Head