Vaping becoming a huge concern in schools
The rise of Vaping continues to cause concern amongst healthcare professionals especially the rising level of children participating. The long term health implications of vaping are simply not known.
In June 2023, the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) advocated for a complete prohibition of disposable vapes, citing their disproportionate prevalence among children and young individuals, as well as their harmful effects on the environment.
Initially vaping kits or products were only available as an alternative to cigarette smoking and contained only Nicotine or nicotine salts, at varying strengths. The development of fruit flavours together with bright, cartoon style branding and marketing is clearly targeting a young demographic. Studies are showing that teenage individuals who engage in vaping are significantly more prone to both cannabis use and binge drinking.
Research conducted by scholars at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, involving over 50,000 adolescents in the United States, suggests that vaping is not an independent behavior; instead, it is closely associated with other substance use that poses risks to adolescents and complicates nicotine cessation. Acknowledging the substantial overlap in different forms of substance use, effective intervention strategies should concurrently target vaping, alcohol consumption, and cannabis use to promote the overall health and well-being of young individuals.
More information here https://www.publichealth.columbia.edu/news/vaping-new-gateway-further-substance-use
Other drugs in vapes
In November 2020 the UK Public Health Agency issued the first warning to healthcare of products on sale to children containing a synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonist (SCRAs) 4F-MDMB-BINACA (Psychoactive), also known as ‘spice’
THC vapes
These products were being legally marketed as containing THC cannabis Vapes. Internet searches for cannabis vapes show multiple web sites paying for Google advertising to sell these products openly. Most have a simple age 18 declaration on entry, with no proof requirements.
A recent article in Schools Week reported that 'Growing numbers of schools and councils are issuing warnings over pupils vaping class B drugs, as the devices continue to cause widespread disruption to the education. sector.
You can read the full article here https://schoolsweek.co.uk/schools-sound-warning-over-vaping-devices-laced-with-drugs/
CBD and vapes
CBD vapes are legal in the UK so long as they contain less than 0.2% THC but while Nicotine vapes are highly regulated, CBD vapes have fewer restrictions imposed and come in much larger sizes.
The rapid access to mass western markets from unlicensed, unregulated and uninspected production facilities is a cause for concern. Both healthcare and regulators are playing a game of catch up in a dynamic and web-led industrial size business that shows no sign of stopping or pulling back from feeding the growing demand from children. The next generation of dependent adults.
Vapes testing kit
Worried about under age vaping, or the use of THC vapes or your CBD vape containing too much THC? UK Drug Testing have put together a vape testing kit to enable you to find out.