Manchester’s pain: vaping hidden on campus and harming student health

In Manchester, it has become increasingly difficult to prevent e-cigarettes from entering schools. This is according to Glyn Potts, the principal of Saint John Henry Newman Catholic College in Oldham. Over the past few years, he has observed that e-cigarettes have become a part of many young people's daily lives, forming a habit that is easy to develop but hard to quit.

In the UK, it is illegal to sell e-cigarettes to anyone under the age of 18, but recent data shows that the number of children using e-cigarettes has tripled over the past three years. According to data from Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), in 2023, 20.5% of children aged 11 to 17 have tried e-cigarettes. E-cigarettes contain high concentrations of nicotine and can be purchased at grocery stores and corner shops, and they can even be modified to contain illegal substances such as cannabinoids (like THC) and flavorings. Principal Potts stated that these are very real issues facing his school.

Earlier this year, a student at Henry Newman College was hospitalized after taking a puff from a modified e-cigarette. It was later discovered that the pen contained a flavoring—a synthetic drug that causes a “zombie-like” state. Since then, the principal has stated that he “prays” that no deaths occur, but unless there are significant changes, he “does not see how that won’t happen.”