TODAY’S children drink and smoke less than any previous generation, NHS figures show.
Generation Alpha – those born since 2010 – has record consumption of cigarettes and alcohol, but vaping is on the rise.
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Just three percent of children aged eight to 15 in 2022 had tried a cigarette, compared to 19 percent of people the same age in 1997.
Just 14% admitted to drinking alcohol – a two-thirds drop from the 45% who had drunk in 2003.
While the recession is considered good for our young people, they may face other risks from their new habits.
One in eight – 12 percent – have used an e-cigarette, with more recent research suggesting that figure is one in five. The obesity rate in 11-year-olds increased from 17.5% in 2006 to 23% in 2023.
Around half of children don’t get enough exercise, according to the NHS Health Survey for England.
Professor Steve Turner, president of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, called the decline in cigarette use in children “encouraging”.
But he warned that the rise of e-cigarettes means there is no room for complacency.
Professor Amelia Lake, a public health expert at Teesside University, believes lockdown has changed children’s lives.
She said: “They were locked in the house with a screen, so their world is very different to that of children not so long ago.”
The survey of 10,000 adults and children also revealed that three in ten men and one in five women drank potentially harmful amounts of alcohol.
The 4 Horrible Things That Can Happen to Your Body After Vaping
VAPES were once hailed as miracle devices to help adults wean themselves off cigarettes.
But while the devices don’t pose the same risks as tobacco, experts have warned that vaping may not be so harmless after all.
Here are five ways vaping can harm young users’ bodies:
1. May slow brain development
Nicotine vaping can permanently affect brain development in people under the age of 25, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
It said nicotine consumed during adolescence can harm the parts of the brain that control attention, learning, mood and impulse control, as well as increase the risk of addiction.
2. It can cause cavities
Dr Michael Heffernan, dentist at The Wessex Dental Specialist Care, said most vapes contain dangerous chemicals that can damage teeth and cause tooth decay.
Inhaling the devices can also cause dry mouth, creating an environment in which harmful bacteria can grow.
3. It can harm heart health
However, some of the chemicals found in vapes can be harmful to the heart, with the American Heart Association (AHA) stating that vaping is “as harmful to the body’s cardiovascular system as cigarettes.”
4. May cause lung disease
Vaping from a young age can leave children with breathing difficulties, with pediatric respiratory consultant Dr Mike McKean saying he has seen reports of people developing vaping-related lung illnesses.
US researchers also found that young people who vape are at greater risk of bronchitis, airway inflammation and shortness of breath.
Read more about how vaping can affect your health here.
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