Professor Steve Turner, president of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH), has warned that nicotine withdrawal from vaping is causing severe behavioral issues among secondary school students in Scotland. This addiction crisis is leading to widespread classroom disruption and masking serious dependency as typical teenage behavior.
Surveys indicate that one in ten Scottish pupils aged 11 to 17 are regular e-cigarette users. This high prevalence has forced schools to confront daily disruptions, with students routinely skipping lessons to vape in toilets and inadvertently setting off fire alarms.
According to Prof. Turner, regular use at this age almost guarantees addiction. He notes that secondary school teachers are on the front lines, observing firsthand how withdrawal symptoms manifest as inattentiveness and disruptive behavior in academies across the country.
The NHS outlines that nicotine dependency means users require the substance to simply feel “normal.” When teenagers cannot vape and go through withdrawal, they frequently experience the following symptoms:
- Feeling easily upset, irritable, frustrated, or angry.
- Experiencing heightened anxiety, tension, or a persistently low mood.
- Struggling significantly with focus and concentration in class.
Prof. Turner highlighted that parents might easily misinterpret these severe mood swings. “Parents might just put it down to teenagers being teenagers, whereas actually, what the children are experiencing is nicotine withdrawal,” he explained.
To combat this growing epidemic, the UK recently granted Royal Assent to the Tobacco and Vapes Bill. The legislation will make it illegal to sell tobacco to anyone born on or after January 1, 2009, and includes strict measures to restrict vape advertising, packaging, and displays designed to appeal to minors.
While welcoming the new law—which the RCPCH helped shape—Prof. Turner emphasized that preventative measures alone are insufficient. He urged health authorities to recognize the existing crisis and implement targeted cessation programs to help currently addicted youths overcome their dependency.