Dan Preece (Public Health Specialist) and Dave Schwartz (Public Health Specialist) delivered the report and discussed:

a)     A Council motion passed in January 2025 had called for the Health and Wellbeing Board to review its ‘Vaping Position Statement to account for the changing use by children’;

b)    The Board’s current position, adopted in 2019 and reaffirmed in 2023, was: “If you smoke, vaping is much safer. If you don’t smoke, don’t vape.”;

c)     A citywide partnership approach had been developed, involving Public Health, schools, Trading Standards, police, safeguarding teams, and VCSE organisations;

d)    The partnership had secured funding for two full-time vape workers and was delivering CPD training to schools;

e)     All secondary schools had participated in the 2024 Health-Related Behaviour Survey;

f)      Survey results showed that while around one-third of Year 8 and Year 10 pupils had tried vaping, only 8% were regular users. Most who tried vaping did not continue;

g)     Trading Standards had conducted test purchases and seizures of illegal vapes, including those containing controlled substances;

h)    The Tobacco and Vapes Bill was progressing through Parliament and included:

                        i.         A ban on disposable vapes (already in effect)

                       ii.         Powers to restrict flavours, packaging, and display

                      iii.         A progressive ban on tobacco sales to anyone born after 1 January 2009

In response to questions, the Board discussed:

i)      The prevalence of illegal substances in vapes. It was confirmed that around 10% of confiscated vapes contained controlled substances;

j)      Disappointment that the tobacco age ban did not extend to vapes;

k)     The risk profile of vapes which was significantly lower than tobacco;

l)      Praise for the city’s leadership on this issue and the strong engagement from schools.

The Board agreed:

1.     To re-affirm their support for the Vaping Position Statement 2019 (as amended in September 2023), and confirm that in remains fit for purpose to date;

2.     To note that “this is a dynamic situation, and we will continue to review and respond to new evidence as it emerges” (Vaping Position Statement 2023);

3.     To note and commend work building a city-wide approach to vaping as presented to the Health and Wellbeing Board in July 2024 and work subsequently undertaken under the Schools Place Based Improvement Plan

4.     To acknowledge the requests of the Motion on Notice heard at Full Council in January 2025 as actioned;

5.     To request that a letter was sent to the Department for Education requesting that a long-term strategy to reduce youth uptake and eventual dependency on nicotine is developed, informed by emerging evidence, including consideration of a generational ban on vape sales in the future.

5.