Calls for Channel Islands to take more action on vapes after announcement on UK tax

  • ITV Channel reporter Emma Volney asks Channel Island health officials why the islands need to crack down on young people vaping...

Politicians and health officials from the Channel Islands are calling for action to stop young people from using vapes.

It comes as the UK chancellor announced s new tax on vapes would be introduced in his budget.

The separate levy will be applied to the liquid in vapes, with the UK Treasury expecting to raise more than £500m a year by 2028-29 alongside an increase in tobacco duty.

In the Channel Islands, children as young as 11 have been reported to be smoking e-cigarettes.

In Guernsey, the number of secondary school pupils who vape regularly has risen from 2% in 2019 to 10% in 2022.

Health officials have spoken out on the negative impacts smoking can have on young people.

Jersey's Director of Public Health, Professor Peter Bradley, said: "There are a number of chemicals in the vapes, which we're concerned about.

"It also means these young people are becoming addicted to nicotine and we know that can cause immediate effects like coughing but also anxiety."

Despite addiction concerns, Lucy Cave from the Guernsey Health Improvement Commission explained: "We've had a very high percentage [of young people] who are saying they want to quit.

"It's really encouraging that it seems that they do recognise the problems with the addiction and that they do want to look for that support."

'We need to stop this in its track before it becomes an epidemic' - Deputy Steve Luce (pictured) Credit: ITV Channel

Jersey's Environment Minister, Deputy Steve Luce, has affirmed that the government want to stop young people vaping "before it becomes an epidemic".

He said: "We know that youngsters are managing to get hold of these single-use vapes, and vapes generally, but single-use in particular as they're a lot less expensive.

"They're not necessarily directly targeted [at young people], but they are nice to look at, the colours are being used to match clothing and crazy things like that."

"What we're looking to do is continue the commitment to ban single-use vapes and make sure children don't get access to them."

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