Vaping: risks, guidance and how to quit

About vapes

Vapes are battery powered devices that heat up a liquid to create a vapour that users inhale through a mouthpiece.

The vapour usually contains:

nicotine
flavouring
other chemicals

In Jersey, it’s illegal to sell or supply nicotine vapes or nicotine vaping products to someone aged under 18. This includes:

retailers
family members
friends

If you see anybody selling nicotine inhaling products to someone under 18, you can report them by email at tradingstandards@gov.je.

Protection of Children (Nicotine Inhaling Products) (Jersey) Regulations 2016

Health risks

Vaping is less harmful to your health than smoking, but is not completely safe.

We’re still understanding the long-term health effects and risks of vaping. Research is being continually reviewed to make sure we protect Islanders’ health and wellbeing.

Avoid purchasing or accepting vapes and vaping products that do not provide a manufacturer’s safety standard mark. You should make sure you get vapes from a reputable source, as some may contain harmful substances that you may not be aware of.

Vapes can be addictive because they generally contain nicotine.

You can also get side effects from vapes, even though they don't contain most of the harmful chemicals found in cigarette smoke.

You can:

become addicted to the nicotine and find it difficult to stop
experience changes in mood and behaviour, due to the nicotine interfering with the chemicals in your brain
experience short-term physical effects, such as coughing, headache, dizziness and a sore throat

There’s currently no evidence that second-hand vape aerosol is harmful to others around you. However, you should not vape around babies, children or people with health conditions, for example asthma.

How to quit vaping

If you want to quit vaping:

try to understand the reasons you vape
think about your triggers and write those down
set a quit date which you’re confident you can achieve

Quitting immediately can be very difficult. Try a gradual approach:

reduce the nicotine strength every 2 to 4 weeks, for example from 20mg to 18mg, 18mg to 12mg, until you reach 0mg
allow more time between each inhale
take shorter inhales
set rules for yourself, for example when or where to vape
don’t keep your vape on you, so you have to go and get your vape to use it

The first couple of weeks are usually the hardest. If you feel tempted to vape, read the notes you wrote on your triggers and reasons to stop, to avoid vaping again.

Other tips for quitting include:

imagine yourself as someone who doesn’t vape
aim to be a role model to your peers
surround yourself with a support network of people such as family, friends, school staff or health professionals
support others who are quitting vaping
step out and change your environment
exercise or play a game
breathe or try relaxation techniques
use mints or non-sugary chewing gum

Remember, each day without a vape is a good day. If you don’t first succeed, you can always start over with a new plan.

Vaping to help you quit smoking

Vapes are effective tools to help you stop smoking, but they should only be used temporarily until you’re confident you won't start smoking again.

You’re 3 times more likely to quit smoking when you have support. If you need help to stop smoking, contact our Help2Quit Stop Smoking Service.

Young people and vaping

Most younger children don’t vape. However, the number of users increases with age.

Children may want to vape because of:

bright designs and packaging
sweet and fruit flavourings
peer pressure and wanting to belong and fit in
vapes being more accessible and don’t smell like cigarettes

Conversations with your child regarding vaping can be difficult, but here are some general tips on how to approach the topic:

talk about vaping at a time you feel is right, for example when you see someone vaping or when you're passing a vape shop
use a gentle, non-judgemental tone so your child knows that they can talk to you freely
show interest and actively listen to them and their points of view, whilst still being clear about how you feel about them vaping
offer reassurance and alleviate their worries and concerns

Jersey secondary schools are taking steps to prevent vaping in and around school premises. They are also making sure that students, parents and carers are well-informed and supported.

If your child is vaping and you’d like to get more support, contact the Children’s and Family Hub or the Youth Enquiry Service (YES).

We’re carrying out further research and surveys to understand vape usage in younger people. You can find details of the latest results in the Children and Young People’s Survey and Jersey Opinions and Lifestyle Survey (JOLS).

Recycling vapes

Vapes are powered by lithium batteries and should always be recycled. You can recycle used or unwanted vapes at the Household Recycling Centre.

Subject to agreement by the States Assembly, new legislation is anticipated to come into force in 2025 that will ban single use (disposable) vapes in Jersey, because of their damaging environmental impact.