A sixteen-year-old who is addicted to vaping has said she goes through five or six disposable vapes a week.
Skye Todd has been using the devices since she was 11 and says she has had to hide her addiction in school.
It is illegal to sell nicotine vaping products to anyone under 18 or for adults to buy them on behalf of under-18s.
“I’ve been doing it for five years,” Skye said.
“I have tried to quit and everything, but it’s a struggle. It’s quite hard to live without.”
Skye said she first noticed that she was addicted to vaping in the third year of secondary school, two years ago, and she said she has had to hide her vape in school.
On Sunday, it will become illegal for any business in the UK to sell or supply single-use, disposable vapes.
When she was using disposable vapes, she was going through about five or six a week.
But Skye has been forced to switch from using single-use vapes in the face of the ban.
Now that she has switched to a reusable vape, she said she goes through about six bottles of refillable liquid instead.
“I’ve tried cigarettes once before but never again – it’s not for me,” Skye said.
“Cigarettes taste disgusting, but with vapes it’s a lot easier.”
Almost a fifth of children aged between 11 and 17 years old said they had tried vaping in Scotland in 2024.
This includes 10% who said they had only tried a vape once or twice and 7.4% who identified as current vapers. Of those who were vaping, 4.6% were vaping more than once a week, and 2.8% were doing it occasionally.
Of all the adolescents who tried vaping, 64.8% said their first vape was given to them by someone they know – usually a friend.
But more than 20% said they bought the vape.
Disposable vape ban coming into force
From Sunday, June 1, it will be illegal for any business in the UK to sell or supply single-use, disposable vapes.
The law aims to reduce waste, protect the environment, and discourage young people from developing the habit.
Those found breaking the law and selling disposable vapes could face a fine or a prison sentence of up to two years.
Despite her addiction, Skye said she believes the ban will “be good for a lot of people”.
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