A leading medic has warned vapes are driving a surge in behavioural problems in Scotland’s secondary schools amid fears strung-out pupils are acting up because of nicotine withdrawal.
Surveys have previously shown that one in ten Scots pupils aged 11 to 17 regularly use e-cigarettes. Meanwhile, schools have raised concerns around the impact the devices have, with pupils frequently skipping class to vape in toilets, often setting off fire alarms in the process.
Now, Professor Steve Turner – president of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) – has said many of these children will be addicted, impacting their behaviour.
He said: ‘They’re vaping on a regular basis, so they’re almost certainly addicted, because that’s the age at which people are most likely to become addicted.’
He added: ‘Secondary school teachers are probably the best people who will give you an insight into the harm of vaping. What they are finding is that children who are using vapes are addicted and because of their withdrawal symptoms they’re not attentive in class, they’re disruptive in class.
‘They are a huge problem in our academies and secondary schools in Scotland.’
According to the NHS, people who are dependent on nicotine need it to feel ‘normal’. When they go through withdrawal, they can find themselves ‘easily upset, feeling irritable, frustrated, angry’.
They can also find themselves feeling ‘anxious, tense, or low in mood’ and have trouble concentrating. Prof Turner said: ‘If you speak to school teachers, they’ll spot the kids who are addicted to nicotine and are struggling when they’re not being able to vape all of the time.’
There are concerns that many youngsters who vape will develop nicotine addictions
The Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which was given Royal Assent last week, has powers to restrict packaging, branding and displays that are designed to appeal to children
He also said that behaviour that irks parents may also stem from children’s vaping habits.
He said: ‘Parents might just put it down to teenagers being teenagers, whereas actually, what the children are experiencing is nicotine withdrawal.’
While NHS Scotland has some smoking cessation programmes that are open to people of all ages, Prof Turner said more needs to be done to help addicted youngsters get over their desire for nicotine.
It’s hoped the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which was given Royal Assent last week, will improve the situation. It will make it illegal across the UK to sell tobacco to anyone born on or after January 1, 2009.
The Act also includes measures to ban the advertising and sponsorship of vapes and nicotine products, as well as powers to restrict their packaging, branding and displays that are designed to appeal to children.
Prof Turner welcomed the Bill, which the RCPCH helped shape, support and strengthen, saying it ‘will reduce the unacceptable burden that tobacco and vaping places on today’s youth, and also protect future generations from the harms of nicotine addiction’.
However, he said thought must also be given to the impact nicotine has already had on youngsters. ‘One of the problems that we have is that we’ve now allowed children under the age of 18 to get addicted to nicotine.
‘They absolutely need to recognise that children are addicted to nicotine, and they need help in coming out of that addiction.’
