UK Teachers’ Union Urges Government to Consider Banning Disposable Vaping Devices

The UK teachers’ union NASUWT said the number of minors using e-cigarettes has tripled, and the government must act immediately.

According to a Morning Star Online report, the National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT) said the number of underage e-cigarette users has tripled, and the government must take immediate action. 

According to Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), the number of teenagers using e-cigarettes has doubled over the past three years, with 20.5% of adolescents having tried e-cigarettes. A union survey also found that 85% of teachers believe vaping is a problem in schools, and three-quarters said the issue has become more serious over the past year. 

They reported that it is illegal to sell e-cigarettes to students under 18, yet some products are packaged to look like school highlighters. Teachers said children as young as 10 are bringing them into classrooms because retailers are selling them to students at very low prices. 

NASUWT General Secretary Patrick Roach called on ministers to seriously consider banning disposable vaping devices and to immediately provide schools with the resources needed to address the issue before it grows into something much harder to control. 

He added that the government must hold vaping manufacturers and retailers accountable because “if vaping in schools becomes the norm, it will pose major health risks to both students and teachers.”