Alder Hey has opened the first NHS vaping cessation clinic in England to help children and young people become nicotine-free. The clinic is aimed at 11-15 year olds who are nicotine dependent as a result of vaping and referrals are currently for Alder Hey patients only.
The clinic saw its first patients in January 2025 and offers a holistic approach, working closely with each child or young person to explore their level of nicotine dependency and give them treatment options to help them reduce the amount they vape, including nicotine replacement therapy where needed, alongside support around peer pressure and behaviour change.
Although it is illegal to sell vapes to anyone under the age of 18, vaping in young people has risen dramatically in recent years. However, little evidence exists about what works to support people to quit vaping, and the lack of current data on how vaping affects young people means treatment may vary.
“Children and young people are consistently asking for services like this, and this was one of the main reasons it was developed. Many are aware that vaping isn’t beneficial to them and their development and want to cut down or quit. With the rise in the number of children and young people vaping and the significant uncertainty regarding the long-term impacts and potential harms in this age group, our clinic aims to provide crucial support for individuals affected by vaping. We saw our first patients in January and whilst referrals to the clinic are limited initially, we’re hoping to extend the offer in the future. We’re excited about the impact it could have.”
Prof Rachel Isba, Consultant in Paediatric Public Health Medicine at Alder Hey, Professor of Children and Young People’s Health at Lancaster University, and the service lead for the new clinic
Vaping can be harmful to children in two main ways. The first is that many vapes contain nicotine, which is highly addictive. Young brains are still developing, which makes them more susceptible to the effects of substances such as nicotine.
Nicotine can impact brain development, potentially affecting concentration, learning, and impulse control. The second way is via the impacts of the other inhaled contents of vapes on the developing body e.g. the lungs. As vapes are a relatively new product, the long-term impacts are not yet clear (in the same way that they weren’t initially for combustible tobacco in the form of cigarettes, but we now know that smoking is very bad for human health).
Some studies also show that vaping may lead to smoking, increasing the likelihood of traditional cigarette use in the future. Smoking remains the leading cause of preventable death and illness in Liverpool, with two thirds of smokers dying from a smoking-related disease.
Prof Rachel Isba said; “Whilst we know that smoking is extremely bad for you and vapes appear to be a useful harm reduction tool for smoking cessation in adults, the effects of vaping on children and young people remain relatively unknown. More research needs to be done to look at the impact of vaping on under-16s if we are going to be able to effectively provide the support they are asking for, to enable them to become nicotine-free.”
The clinic aims to help children and young people become, and stay, nicotine-free.