Health fears on vapes as six in ten Brit users voice concerns
Despite a surge in numbers over the last few years, more than six in 10 vaping Brits [62%] are concerned about the long-term effects on their health, according to a new study. And worryingly, more than half [51 %] say they are more addicted to e-cigarettes than they were to traditional ones.
Only 46% say they plan to quit soon despite those fears, however, whilst one in seven admit they have experienced shortness of breath due to their habit. As many people continue to turn to vapes as an alternative to cigarettes, experts fear they are still hooking users on nicotine - particularly children. The government is now believed to be considering banning single-use vapes.
After the survey also found that only one in four believe vaping is risk-free, Katie Tryon of Vitality Health Insurance - who conducted the research - explained: "It’s important to be aware vaping isn’t risk free. Not only is it highly addictive but it also causes side effects."
Earlier this week retailer Superdrug revealed it is to stop selling disposable vapes in all of its stores across the UK and Ireland. The beauty and health company announced the news on Friday (September 22) citing the environmental impact as the reason for the move. Superdrug says that nearly five million single-use e-cigarettes are now disposed of every week in Britain - up from 1.3million last year.
They look and taste like sweets - no wonder underage vaping is sweeping Britain
The products that will no longer be sold include Flavaah and Vuse Go - a British-American Tobacco brand. Superdrug has not yet announced a specific date for the ban to come into place although it said it has stopped all purchases of single-use vapes and aims to have its stock clear by the end of this year.
Lucy Morton-Channon, head of environmental, social, and governance, said: "The rate that consumers are using single-use vapes and discarding them is worrying and alarming for the environment. Many of these single-use vapes contain lithium batteries, which should be disposed of responsibly but many end up in landfill, and incorrect battery disposal can lead to a risk of fires. The lasting effects that single use vapes are having on the environment needs to be addressed, and I am pleased that we’ve decided to remove them from all stores."
It comes after Dr McKean, a doctor at the Great North Children's Hospital in Newcastle, said they were seeing a rising number of children developing dangerous lung conditions related to vaping. And a dentist has taken to his TikTok account to share a new phenomenon, named "vape tongue".
Symptoms include a numb tongue, failure to taste your vape flavour or even experiencing an unpleasant taste from your vape. It can even impact your taste generally, meaning you cannot taste food properly. According to Fisher Pointe Dental: "Vaping can also cause a stuffy nose and negatively impact your ability to smell, and being able to smell goes hand in hand with your ability to taste. People end up absolutely caning these vapes and it causes such a massive increase in nicotine and a really really dry mouth that you lose your sense of taste completely sometimes
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