The data from The School Health Research Network has been published by Public Health Wales as the UK government reintroduces a ‘Tobacco and Vapes Bill’ that will pave the way for restrictions on the marketing and sale of tobacco and vapes.
The data is based on 129,761 learners from year seven to 11 from 201 schools in Wales responding to the Student Health and Wellbeing Survey administered between September and December 2023.
According to the data, over 45 per cent of students in year 11 said they have tried a vape.
However, just 5.5 per cent of students in year 11 said they regularly smoke, down from 7.5 per cent in 2021. With less than three per cent (2.7) of students in year seven to 11 smoking regularly.
Chris Emmerson, consultant in public health for Public Health Wales, said, “As this data illustrates, vaping among young people is rapidly on the rise in Wales, which is a similar picture to the rest of the UK. And while vaping is considerably less harmful than smoking, it is far from risk-free.
“As the work of our multi-agency Vaping Response Group highlighted last year, teachers and youth workers have increasingly been raising the alarm with us about a growing number of school-age pupils who are sadly struggling with nicotine dependency. The provisions of this bill represent vital action to curb this rise.
“Public Health Wales also welcomes the provisions in the bill to raise the age for tobacco sales. With smoking rates among students in years seven to 11 now at rock-bottom, this is a once in a generation opportunity to pass important, life-saving legislation.”
In 2022, an average of 3,845 deaths in Wales were due to smoking, according to a recent Public Health Wales study. More than 17,000 hospital admissions each year in Wales were attributable to smoking.
The data also shows that:
- Over a quarter of students (25.7 per cent) in years seven to 11 have now vaped, up from 20.5 per cent 2021
- Increases in vaping since 2021 have been particularly notable amongst girls, year 11 learners and non-smokers
- Weekly vaping increased between 2021 and 2023 in all year groups except year seven
For more information visit www.helpmequit.wales