To legally purchase an e-cigarette, vape or e-liquids in the UK you must be aged 18 and over. The UK government updated the laws on the sale of vaping products on 1st of October 2015. 

This made it illegal for e-cigarette retailers to sell vaping products to anyone under the age of 18. 

It is illegal to buy e-cigarettes, vapes or e-liquids on behalf of anyone under the age of 18. This includes parents, family, carers or friends.

Public Health England’s 2016 publication ‘E-cigarettes in public places and workplaces: a 5-point guide to policy making’ outlined the importance of balancing the need to prevent children and young people from starting to vape, with the importance of encouraging adult’s smokers to quit. 

“E-cigarette use is not recommended for young people and this is reflected in the UK’s age of sale and advertising restrictions. However, because adult smokers use e-cigarettes to quit smoking and stay smokefree, the products can help reduce children’s and young people’s exposure to secondhand smoke and smoking role models. 

Tracking these by writing them down can be helpful to notice patterns.

Make a Plan – Once you have noticed patterns in your behaviours / feelings, or if you already know areas where you want to make changes, it’s a good idea to prepare some coping strategies to help you overcome them without smoking. Writing this down will help, as well as telling people so they can support you.

Set a Quit Date – Setting a quit date will give you a point to work towards – ideally no more than a week or two away. Be realistic with the date: give yourself time to prepare but don’t put it off too long or else you risk losing motivation.

Get rid of reminders – Wash all of your clothes, and furniture if possible, to remove the smoke smell; clean out the car; get rid of smoking paraphernalia like ashtrays, matches and lighters and put your medication or coping strategies in easy-to-reach places.

Download the ‘My Quit Route’ App – The app has many features which can help your journey, including: money saving calculator, health benefits, personal motivational images and is accessible 24 hours a day.

Focus on Motivation – What do you dislike about smoking? What things are you missing out on when you go out to smoke? What effect is smoking having on your health? How is it impacting your family? Are you trying to save money? Outlining why you are quitting will keep you motivated when you might be struggling.

Read – Holding a book (or using a phone or computer) will keep your hands busy whilst the content will distract you from the craving.

Housework – This physical activity will keep you focused on a completely different task, occupy your hands and help to remove any lingering smoke smells – you can also do it in short bursts to distract as the craving passes before continuing with your day.

Exercise – We all know exercise is good for you – but it provides a good distraction from cravings as you are channelling that energy into something productive. Even short periods of physical activity can reduce the urge to smoke, such as going for a short walk or doing 10 press-ups. Exercise can also help limit weight gain, cope with stress and improve your mood.

Do you need to keep your hands and mouth busy? People often miss the hand-to-mouth habit when they quit smoking. Playing with your phone or using a fidget toy will give your hands something to do or try chewing gum / having a mint. Why not make a phone call to friends or family.

Simply text 07507 331456 with your question to start the conversation – our team will be there to answer your queries from 9am to 4.30pm, Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays)

If a young person’s smoking and would like to get support to quit, they can be referred to their local Stop Smoking Service. We offer a specialist, friendly service to anybody wishing to quit smoking. Stopping can be difficult for most people, but with treatment and support the likelihood of success is three times greater. 

You can make referrals by completing our online referral form via our website. Once received we will aim to call in 2 working days to book an appointment. 

Referrals can also be made over the phone by calling 0800 013 0553. 

Nicotine replacement therapies (NRT) are licenced for ages 12 years and up. 

We advise young people under the age of 18 to use NRT instead of an e- cigarette or vape as part of their quit attempt. 

This, alongside behavioural support, is the safest and most effective way for a young person to quit smoking.