Vaping clinic to deal with kids as younger as 11 opens its doorways in Liverpool hospital
A vaping clinic aimed at treating children as young as 11 has opened its doors in a hospital in Liverpool.
The vaping cessation service was established at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in November and set up for young people between the ages of 11 and 16.
The clinic will ‘work closely’ with patients to come up with ‘tailored solutions’ to meet their needs, Alder Hey NHS Foundation Trust said.
Vapes and e-cigarettes are electronic devices that release vapour containing highly addictive nicotine.
In recent years, the number of young people using them has skyrocketed both in Liverpool and across the UK.
A survey of 14,000 children revealed that 14 per cent admit vaping more than once a week. This is an increase of 6 per cent since 2020.
Meanwhile, the number of children who smoke tobacco has fallen to 6 per cent, the lowest on record in the north-west of England, the BBC reported.
A vaping clinic aimed at treating children as young as 11 has opened its doors in a hospital in Liverpool (stock photo)
The vaping cessation service was formed at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital (pictured) in November and set up for young people between the ages of 11 and 16
The number of young people using vapes and e-cigarettes has skyrocketed both in Liverpool and across the UK in recent years (stock photo)
More than one child every week is being admitted to hospital with vaping-related injuries, it was reported in December.
Over the recent Christmas period, health bosses said flavours such as mince pie, candy cane and gingerbread are ‘likely to be appealing to younger age groups’ but there is ‘nothing joyful or fun’ about the serious effect vaping can have on their health.
It is illegal to sell vapes to under-18s but NHS England found online stores are ‘pumping out Christmas deals and festive flavours’ that can be purchased with ‘little to no checks’.
It called on stores to tighten up their controls in a bid to stem the tide of children getting hooked on nicotine and falling ill.
Professor Sir Stephen Powis, national medical director at NHS England, said: ‘More than 30 children and young people being admitted to hospital oven seven months for conditions linked to vaping, such as breathlessness and potential lung damage, is simply alarming.
‘With vape companies pumping out Christmas deals and festive flavours, like Christmas pudding, candy cane, mince pies or gingerbread, they are likely to be appealing to younger age groups, and despite websites often stating vapes are for over 18s, it is possible to purchase them with little to no checks.
‘While vapes can be a useful tool to help adults quit smoking, they should not be used by children and under 18s – there’s nothing joyful or fun about the serious effect they can have on young people’s health as well as the potential long-term consequences.’
