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ASH Scotland deeply concerned about Health and Wellbeing Census findings suggesting huge upsurge in teenage vaping over last five years

The Scottish Government’s Health and Wellbeing Census 2021-22 found that 10.1% of S4 students and 4.3% of S2 students report using e-cigarettes regularly (once a week or more).

Teenage girl sits in park vaping

Health charity ASH Scotland is deeply concerned at latest figures suggesting that regular e-cigarette use by 15-year-olds has tripled and more than doubled for 13-year-olds in the last five years.

The Scottish Government’s Health and Wellbeing Census 2021-22, published earlier this week, found that 10.1% of S4 students and 4.3% of S2 students report using e-cigarettes regularly (once a week or more). Figures from the Scottish Schools Adolescent Lifestyle and Substance Use Survey (SALSUS) in 2018 showed regular vaping by 13-year-olds and 15-year-olds at 2% and 3% respectively.

The Health and Wellbeing Census, which surveyed 25,380 S2 and S4 pupils, also revealed that young people living in the most deprived areas of Scotland are more likely to regularly vape (7.8%) than those in the most affluent areas (4.6%).