New Legislation Sees Changes in Youth Vaping Habits
Ten days after the UK-wide ban on disposable vapes was implemented on June 1, the DSM Foundation, a drug education charity, is discussing the potential impact on young people, who have been identified as the primary users of single-use vapes.
While the true effects of the legislation may take several months to become clear, the DSM Foundation has already gathered valuable insight from their survey of over 4,000 15-18 year olds since September 2024. The results showed that vapes were deemed most acceptable by young people, with over half stating that they were “OK to use regularly” and only one eighth of respondents considering them “not OK.” Interestingly, vaping also ranked highest in response to the question “Which substances do you think cause people in your year group most problems, if anyone does have problems?” with nearly 80 per cent citing it as an answer.
Fiona Spargo-Mabbs OBE, founder and director of the DSM Foundation, comments on the potential impact of the ban: “We have yet to see how the ban on disposables will affect vape use among young people: while the change in the law may deter some from continuing or starting, it could mean that others purchase single-use vapes from illegal sources, or move onto refillables. Both of these pose risks, the former because it means young people will be accessing a completely unregulated market, while the latter may lead to more individuals inadvertently accessing products that contain drugs other than nicotine.”
The DSM Foundation has also expressed concerns about the potential rise in the use of the highly potent and dangerous drug Spice among young people, as well as the possibility of them turning to alternative forms of nicotine delivery devices such as nicotine pouches. According to their data, awareness of nicotine pouches is high among 15-18 year olds, with only vaping, alcohol, cigarettes, and smokable forms of cannabis ranking higher. However, the acceptability of nicotine pouches is more mixed, with approximately a third of respondents deeming them “not OK to use.”
As a charity focused on providing evidence-based, non-judgemental drugs education to young people, the DSM Foundation will continue to gather insights from students and other data sources to address the issues faced by young people in regards to drugs and alcohol. Since their establishment in 2014 following the accidental overdose of 16 year old Daniel Spargo-Mabbs, the charity has worked in almost 750 schools, colleges, and community organizations to educate young people about the dangers of drugs and empower them to make informed and safer choices.
For more information about the DSM Foundation and their work, visit their website at https://www.dsmfoundation.org.uk/. Media inquiries can be directed to media@dsmfoundation.org.uk.
Derick is an experienced reporter having held multiple senior roles for large publishers across Europe. Specialist subjects include small business and financial emerging markets.