Youth vaping is on the rise. UK Government action has combined legal and regulatory measures (such as banning disposable vapes) with educational programmes through schools and Local Authorities.

New research from Dr Manu Savani at Brunel University London shows that behaviour-change and education programmes can make a difference. Text-message support services, for example, have been shown to help young people quit; while stripping the marketing appeal from vape packaging could stop others from starting. How harmful young people believe vaping to be is also a strong predictor of whether they avoid it or plan to quit.

But the evidence base is still thin and largely US-focused. The brief calls for more UK-specific studies, including long-term trials, cost-effectiveness analysis and research into how to deliver and sustain these interventions on the ground.

See also BBC – How does the disposable vape ban work, and how harmful is vaping?