Vaping in Classrooms: UK Teachers Report Growing Epidemic Among Schoolchildren

The vape industry has transformed nicotine consumption worldwide, offering adult smokers a less harmful alternative to traditional cigarettes. However, a disturbing trend has emerged—schoolchildren are now vaping during class, with teachers reporting decreased concentration, behavioral issues, and even classroom disruptions due to nicotine addiction.

A recent NASUWT teaching union survey reveals that vaping has become a significant problem in UK schools, with students sneaking e-cigarettes into bathrooms, leaving lessons to vape, and even using them during class. This crisis coincides with the UK government’s Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which aims to curb underage vaping through stricter regulations.

In this article, we will explore:

Teachers’ alarming reports of students vaping in class
Why disposable vapes are harder to police than cigarettes
The psychological & academic impact of nicotine on teens
Proposed UK laws to combat youth vaping (including flavor bans & stricter sales rules)
What parents, schools, and policymakers can do to address this crisis

Teachers Sound the Alarm: Vaping Disrupts Learning

Survey Findings: Vaping Is a Growing Problem in Schools

The NASUWT survey (477 respondents in Wales) found:
✔ Nearly 75% of teachers say vaping is an issue in their school
✔ Majority report it has worsened over the past year
✔ Most common locations: School toilets, break times, and even during lessons
✔ Some parents are supplying vapes to their children, even delivering them to school

Sharron Daly, a 30-year teaching veteran and NASUWT official, explains:

“Vapes are far harder to police than cigarettes. They look like lip gloss or highlighters, and kids smell like blueberry bubble gum instead of smoke.”

Classroom Consequences of Teen Vaping

Inability to concentrate (nicotine withdrawal causes agitation)
Increased confrontations (students become irritable when unable to vape)
Disruptive behavior (leaving class frequently to use vapes)
Toilet damage (students flushing vapes, clogging plumbing)

Ms. Daly adds:

“It affects behavior and academic performance. If they can’t focus, they can’t learn.”

Why Are Teens So Drawn to Vaping?

1. Appealing Flavors & Discreet Designs

Fruit-flavored vapes (e.g., blueberry, mango) are marketed in bright, sweet packaging
Disposable vapes resemble pens, USB drives, or makeup items, making them easy to hide

2. Misleading “Harmless” Perception

Many teens believe vaping is “just flavored air”, unaware of nicotine’s addictive properties.

3. Peer Pressure & Social Media Influence

TikTok & Instagram trends glamorize vaping
Friends share vapes, normalizing usage

UK Government Response: New Vaping Laws in 2024-2025

1. Tobacco and Vapes Bill (2024)

Ban on flavors targeting children (e.g., candy & fruit)
Plain packaging to reduce appeal
Restrictions on vape displays in stores
Higher fines for illegal sales to minors

2. Disposable Vape Ban (2025)

Single-use vapes will be outlawed (due to environmental & youth access concerns)

Welsh Government Spokesperson:

“7% of 11-16-year-olds in Wales vape weekly. We need stronger laws to protect children.”

How Schools & Parents Can Combat Youth Vaping

For Schools:

Install vape detectors in bathrooms
Educate students on nicotine addiction risks
Enforce strict no-vaping policies with clear consequences
We have worked with Public Health Wales who have produced guidance on vaping to help parents, carers, teachers and others working with secondary-aged children in Wales,” a spokesperson said.

For Parents:

Check backpacks for disguised vapes (look for “highlighter” or “lip gloss” devices)
Talk to teens about vaping dangers (addiction, lung damage)
Report illegal sales to Trading Standards

For Policymakers:

Increase enforcement against shops selling to minors
Fund school anti-vaping programs
Regulate social media vape promotions

Conclusion: A Call to Action Against Classroom Vaping

The UK’s youth vaping crisis is disrupting education and harming teen health. While new laws will help, schools, parents, and lawmakers must work together to:
✔ Restrict access to flavored & disposable vapes
✔ Educate teens on nicotine risks
✔ Enforce stricter penalties for illegal sales

The future of a vape-free generation depends on immediate action.