Smoking & Vaping: A Guide for Children in Care
Many young people experiment with smoking, vaping, alcohol, or drugs at some point. Some try it once and stop, while others continue and develop a habit that can be difficult to break. This guide will help you understand the risks and make informed choices.
Smoking – What’s the Big Deal?
What is Tobacco?
Tobacco comes from a plant and can be smoked in cigarettes, pipes and cigars or used as chewing tobacco, dip, or snuff. No matter how it's used, tobacco contains nicotine, which makes it highly addictive.
Why Do People Smoke?
People often start smoking out of curiosity or peer pressure, thinking it makes them look cool. But did you know that nicotine is one of the most addictive substances? Once you start, it can be very difficult to stop. If someone you know smokes, remember to be kind—quitting isn’t easy.
The Problems with Smoking
Smoking isn’t just a bad habit—it has serious consequences:
- Cost – A pack of 20 cigarettes costs around £20. Five packs and you've spent £100—imagine what else you could buy! You can calculate how much you can save in a year by stopping here.
- Smell – Your breath, hair, skin and clothes will all smell like smoke.
- Skin & Ageing – Smoking causes wrinkles, dry skin and yellow-stained teeth and fingers, making you look older.
- Voice Changes – It can make your voice deeper and raspier.
- Health Risks – Smoking affects your health even in your teens, making it harder to breathe and reducing your sport performance. Long-term effects include:
- Lung disease – Difficulty breathing and long-term coughing.
- Cancer – At least 16 types of cancer.
- Heart disease and strokes.
- Shortens your life by around 10 years
Watch this video for more information: Effects of Smoking
What is Nicotine and What Does It Do?
Nicotine is a chemical in tobacco and vapes. When you inhale nicotine, it reaches the brain in 20 seconds, releasing chemicals that make you feel good temporarily. But nicotine is as addictive as heroin, alcohol and cocaine.
Why is Nicotine Bad for Young People?
- Highly Addictive – Once you start, it’s hard to stop.
- Harms Brain Development – The teenage brain is still developing, making it more sensitive to nicotine.
- Reduces Learning & Memory – It can affect your focus and school performance.
- Affects Mood & Behaviour – Increases mood swings and makes it harder to resist temptation.
- Higher Risk of Other Addictions – Using nicotine can lead to addiction to other substances later in life.
How to Quit Smoking
Quitting smoking isn’t just about willpower—it’s about tackling two challenges:
- Breaking the Habit – Learning techniques to change your routine.
- Beating Chemical Addiction – Your body craves nicotine and sometimes medication is needed.
Where to Get Help
- NHS Stop Smoking Services – Get free support and advice online or call 0300 123 1044.
- Visit the NHS Smokefree website for tips and techniques: NHS Smokefree
Vaping – Is It Safe?
What Are Vapes or E-Cigarettes?
Vapes heat a liquid into a vapour that people inhale. Most contain nicotine, but they don’t contain tobacco, which is the part of cigarettes that causes cancer.
Is Vaping Safer Than Smoking?
- Vaping is much less harmful than smoking, but it’s not risk-free.
- The biggest issue is nicotine addiction – making it very hard to stop once you start.
- Some chemicals in vapes may be harmful, but they are usually in much lower amounts than in cigarettes.
- Some modified vapes (with extra chemicals added to the shop bought vape) have been linked to serious lung problems.
Should Young People Vape?
- No! Vaping is not for children and young people.
- Nicotine is highly addictive and affects brain development.
- It’s illegal to sell vapes to under-18s or for adults to buy them for children.
- Vapes are only useful for adults who are trying to quit smoking.
Watch this video for more information: Is Vaping Safe?
Can Second-Hand Vapour Harm You?
Breathing in second-hand cigarette smoke is definitely dangerous. It carries most of the same risks as smoking.
For vaping, there is no strong evidence that second-hand vapour is harmful, but since vaping is still new, we don’t fully know its long-term effects.
Finally
Smoking is a very expensive and addictive way to do a lot of damage to your body and miss out on the healthy life that you deserve. Vaping is a useful tool to help smokers to quit but is not good if that’s not you. Don’t start - just say “no thanks” when you’re offered it and plan what you’re going to do with the money you save!
Where to Get Help & More Information
If you're worried about smoking or vaping, check out these trusted sources:
- NHS Smokefree – Help to quit smoking
- FRANK – Easy-to-read facts on drugs, smoking and vaping
- Cancer Research UK – Information on smoking and vaping risks
Making the right choice now can protect your health and future. If you need help, don’t hesitate to reach out!
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