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Selling vapes to under-18s is illegal in the UK
Vaping among secondary-school children is rising, with nearly one in five 15-year-olds using e-cigarettes in 2021, a survey by NHS Digital suggests.
Among 11-15-year-olds, 9% say they are vapers - up from 6% in 2018.
Doctors have warned of the health risks of under-age vaping and the dangers of using illegal devices.
The percentage of teenagers taking drugs and smoking cigarettes fell between 2018 and 2021 - and alcohol use was unchanged.
Overall, 18% of 11-15-year-old pupils said they had tried drugs - down from 24% in 2018.
Cannabis is the most popular drug among this age group, with 6% saying they had taken it last year.
The survey asked more than 9,000 pupils in 119 secondary schools in England about their habits between September 2021 and February 2022.
The results suggest pupils who frequently met up with friends outside their school or home were more likely to have recently smoked, drunk alcohol or taken drugs.
Of pupils who met up with people every day:
- 9% were current smokers
- 12% usually drank alcohol once a week
- 19% had taken drugs in the past month
And when pupils were asked about their feelings of happiness and anxiety, this group were more likely to be less satisfied with life.
The BBC filmed a Trading Standards undercover operation
The survey also suggests:
- vaping among 15-year-old girls rose from 10% in 2018 to 21%
- girls are more likely to vape than boys at all ages - 10% of girls aged 11-15, compared with 7% of boys
- 61% of pupils who use vapes obtain them from other people, mostly friends.
- 57% buy them from a shop, mostly a newsagent - up from 29% three years ago
Vapes or e-cigarettes do not contain the harmful tobacco present in normal cigarettes but they do contain nicotine - the substance that makes people addicted to smoking.
Disposable vapes, which are colourful and available in a host of sweet flavours, are growing in popularity among teenagers.
English (US)