A Lanarkshire MSP has raised concern about the surge in young people vaping across Scotland.
Stephanie Callaghan, the MSP for Uddingston and Bellshill told Government ministers that decisive action was needed to control the "crisis" before it spirals.
Ms Callaghan is calling for the Socttish Government to consider tighter regulations around the sale and marketing of e-products and to develop a new educational public health message which will address nicotine addiction in children and young people.
Her concerns were met by the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon who noted that vaping products “are not harm free,” whilst highlighting the “possible involvement and influence of the tobacco industry” in pushing these products on youngsters.
Ms Callaghan MSP said: "I smoked cigarettes for decades and often worried it would kill me and leave my kids without their mum.
"While quitting smoking is one of the best things I’ve ever done, and vaping helped get me there, as a parent I’m seriously worried about the sharp rise in young people regularly using vapes.
“The current explosion in cheap, disposable vape bars seems to encourage recreational use by young people who have never smoked.
"While evidence shows that vapes are less harmful than tobacco, we don’t yet know the long-term health harms of breathing vape liquids into our lungs.
"That’s why I believe urgent action is needed to protect our young people and avoid a new generation of nicotine addicts.”
Sheila Duffy, chief executive of health charity ASH Scotland, said: “Nicotine is highly addictive and many vapes include toxic chemicals that have not been safety tested for inhalation and could damage health over time – this is especially worrying for children and young people as their lungs are still growing.
"Research also indicates that young people experimenting with vapes are at a higher risk of using tobacco products, which is a prospect we should all want our children to avoid.
“It is essential that the advertising and promotion of recreational vaping products in Scotland are restricted to discourage youngsters from experimenting."
The Scottish Government is due to release its five-year Tobacco Action Plan next year.
This will set out interventions and policies to help reduce the use of and associated harms from using tobacco in Scotland and will factor vaping into the plan, as the Scottish Government looks on to making Scotland smoke free by 2034.
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