West Northamptonshire Council tackles youth vaping through prevention programmes
Council partners with drug and alcohol service to combat youth vaping
West Northamptonshire Council has launched a range of initiatives to address a rise in youth vaping, with recent statistics revealing concerning habits among local children.
A council survey conducted in 2024 found that 84% of children in the area who vape do not want help to quit, highlighting a need for education and support.
The council is working with NGAGE, a drug and alcohol service for young people, to provide support in schools through a vaping prevention programme. This includes educational workshops for parents and professionals, school assemblies, and sessions for children to provide information about the dangers of vaping.
Public Health Practitioner, Christopher Serbyn, said: “NGAGE works with children and young people directly by delivering school assemblies and, where needed, conducting additional workshops to address the vaping issues we’re seeing.”
The council said NGAGE has already reached over 4,000 students in Northamptonshire this school year.
Cllr Laura Couse, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health, stressed that having a better understanding of why young people vape is key to effective prevention. She explained:
“Young people often turn to vaping as a coping mechanism linked to anxiety and mental health challenges. Many of them may not understand the harmful effects of the chemicals in vapes or how addictive they can be.
''We’re working with parents and schools to educate children and help break the habit before it becomes an even bigger issue.”
The council said it is also collaborating with trading standards to tackle the sale of illicit and unregulated vapes, and is encouraging the public to report any concerns through its online Trading Standards referral form. For those without internet access, reports can be made via local ward councillors or parish councils.
Cllr Couse said: "There’s still a lot of clinical research that hasn’t been done. We do know it is harmful – there are chemicals in vapes, and the full effect of what they’re actually doing to the body isn’t widely known yet."
Parents and carers can register for free vaping awareness workshops being held online on 26th February and 26th March. These sessions will offer advice on how to discuss vaping and its risks with young people effectively.
For more information on vaping prevention and mental health support, or to sign up for the workshops, visit West Northamptonshire Council’s website