Smoking and vaping

Hello, my name is Mr. Wells, and welcome to today's RSHE lesson, called "Smoking and Vaping." It's part of the unit "Risky Substances: What Do I Need to Know About Tobacco and Vaping?" Before we get started, I should advise you that you should have an adult with you when you are completing this lesson. Let's make a start. Today's lesson outcome is: I can explain what smoking and vaping are and the laws surrounding them. As with every RSHE lesson, there are a number of ground rules, so let's take a moment to go through them together. Laura says, "We should listen to others. It's okay to disagree with each other, but we should listen properly before making assumptions or deciding how to respond. When disagreeing, we should challenge the statement rather than the person." Andeep says, "We should respect privacy. We can discuss examples, but we should not use names or descriptions that identify anyone, including ourselves." Jacob says that there should be no judgment. "We can explore beliefs and misunderstandings about a topic without the fear of being judged." And finally, Izzy says that we should choose our level of participation. "Everyone has the right to choose not to answer a question or join discussion, and we should never put anybody on the spot." Throughout today's lesson, there are a number of key words. We're going to see them throughout the lesson in bold. Let's take a moment to understand what they mean. Cigarette: a thin stick of tobacco wrapped in paper that people smoke. It's bad for health and can cause many serious diseases. Tobacco: a plant used in cigarettes that contains nicotine and produces harmful smoke when burned. Nicotine: an addictive drug that cigarettes and some vapes contain. Addictive: if something is addictive, it makes you want to keep using it or doing it, even if it's not good for you. And finally, vape: an electronic device filled with chemicals that creates an aerosol, which is breathed in. Today's lesson, "Smoking and Vaping," is in three parts. The first is: What is smoking? The second is: What is vaping? And finally: What is the law around smoking and vaping? Let's make it start with our first learning cycle. What is smoking? Cigarettes are sticks of shredded tobacco, and it begins as a tobacco plant. It's then dried and rubbed, and it's made into cigarettes. Smoking is the act of burning tobacco and inhaling the smoke. When tobacco is burned, it releases nicotine, along with other substances. And nicotine is a highly addictive substance. Addiction can happen only after days of infrequent inhalation of nicotine. When nicotine is inhaled, it causes dopamine to be released in the brain. And dopamine is a feel-good chemical, but the effects are temporary. The brain begins to crave this feeling, and this can lead to an addiction. Nicotine is a stimulant. A stimulant is a substance that speeds up messages between the brain and the body. And effects of stimulants like nicotine include feeling more awake or alert and temporary improvement in concentration. These effects are short-lived and wear off quickly. And when the effects wear off, people may feel tired, irritable, or anxious. This can make them want to use the stimulant again, which is how addiction develops. When a cigarette is lit, nicotine and other chemicals are inhaled. There are around 70 carcinogenic, cancer-causing substances within cigarette smoke, including tar, arsenic, and carbon monoxide. It's time for our first check for understanding. What is the highly addictive substance in cigarettes? Is it A, tobacco; B, nicotine; or C, tar? The correct answer is B, nicotine. Well done if you got that right. People might choose to smoke for a variety of reasons. Some people believe that it relieves stress and improves mood. They might smoke because of peer pressure: their friends are telling them they should do. And because of smoking in the family, or due to a nicotine addiction. Nicotine has some immediate but short-term effects that people might enjoy. These short-term effects can have long-term consequences. They might cause a sense of relaxation, but over time, cigarettes cause cravings. They might feel that cigarettes are relieving stress, but over time, withdrawal from cigarettes creates stress. And they might feel that it improves their concentration. But over time, brain function actually declines. Young people may start smoking as a way to fit in, and peer pressure to smoke may come from friends or from seeing people online or in the media smoking. However, the large majority of the UK population does not smoke, especially young people. Dr Elsie shares an important statistic with us. She says that, "In 2023, less than 12% of the UK population were smokers. And less than 1% of 11 to 15-year-olds reported regular smoking." It's time for our next check for understanding. True or false: the majority of the UK population smokes. Is that true, or is it false? The correct answer is false, and I wonder if you can tell me why. Well, the majority, 88% in 2023, of the UK population does not smoke. It's time for our first task. I would like you to label the image of the cigarette with what it contains and facts about smoking that you have learned in this learning cycle. The first one has been done for you. And you can see there's an image of a cigarette, and it says, "Cigarettes contain nicotine and tobacco." You can pause the screen now, complete the task, and, when you're ready to go through the answers, press play. Let's take a look at your answers together. You were asked to label the image of the cigarette with what it contains and facts about smoking that you have learned in this learning cycle. Your answers could include: less than 12% of the UK population smokes. The short-term effects lead to long-term health consequences. Cigarettes contain nicotine and tobacco. People may start smoking due to peer pressure. Any good feelings from cigarettes are short-term, and cigarettes contain harmful substances such as tar and arsenic. You might have more ideas around your cigarette as well, and that's absolutely fantastic. Well done for all your hard work so far. It's already time for our second learning cycle. What is vaping? Vapes are electronic devices, and most contain nicotine and simulate smoking by allowing nicotine to be inhaled through an aerosol, often called vapor, rather than smoke. Vapes work by heating a liquid known as e-liquid. E-liquid often contains nicotine; vegetable glycerin, a sweet liquid that creates the aerosol; propylene glycol, a liquid that carries the flavor; flavorings. And unlike cigarettes, vapes don't contain tar or carbon monoxide. People may choose to vape for a variety of reasons: to help them quit smoking cigarettes; because they enjoy the different flavorings; due to peer pressure; because nicotine is addictive and stopping can cause withdrawal symptoms; and because they've seen others vape online and in the media. People might start vaping as a way of trying to stop smoking cigarettes. Vapes can allow smokers to still get nicotine without breathing in the tar and carbon monoxide found in cigarette smoke. However, all vapes come with risks to health, such as breathing difficulties. Even nicotine-free vapes contain chemicals that can harm your lungs when heated and inhaled. Many of the long-term risks of vaping are still unknown because vapes haven't been around long enough for scientists to study their effects over many years. It's time for our next check for understanding. True or false? "All vapes contain nicotine, so they are harmless." Is that true, or is it false? The correct answer is false. And I wonder if you can tell me why. Well, it's false because not all vapes contain nicotine, though most do. And vapes are not harmless. The chemicals and vapes can damage your lungs when heated and inhaled, causing problems like breathing difficulties. Vapes are often advertised as having fun and appealing flavors and coming packaging that is often brightly colored and attractive. Many people think vapes are harmless because of this. However, this is untrue because, when heated and combined with e-liquid, the ingredients can create a harmful mixture of substances. And there are lots of myths around vaping. Some common myths include, "Everyone vapes." But the fact is, the majority of under 18s in the UK don't vape. In 2023, less than 9% of 11 to 15-year-olds reported regularly vaping. Another myth is that "Vaping isn't addictive," but the fact is, most vapes contain nicotine, which is addictive in any form. Another myth is that "Vapes aren't harmful. It's just flavoring." But the fact is, when the flavorings are heated and inhaled into the lungs, they can cause damage. And another myth is that "Vapes are better for the environment than cigarettes." But the fact is, vapes are highly damaging with the environment. They're made from plastic that can't be recycled and leak harmful chemicals when thrown away. There are environmental and social impacts of vaping. Let's take a moment to go through them together. Vapes contain hazardous metals like lithium and cobalt. Vapes end up in landfill. Some cobalt used for vape batteries is mined using child labor. And the number of disposable vapes thrown away each year could fill over 20 football pitches. It's time for our next check for understanding. Which of the following statements about vaping are myths? A, "Most under 18s in the UK don't vape." B, "Most vapes contain nicotine." C, "The flavors used in vapes are completely harmless." And D, "Vapes are good for the environment." Well, the myths there were C and D. "The flavors used in vapes are completely harmless" and "Vapes are good for the environment" are both myths. They are not true. Nicotine pouches and snus are products like vapes, which have become popular in recent years. And you can see on the screen an illustration of nicotine pouches. Snus contains tobacco and illegal to sell in the UK. Nicotine pouches are similar, but contain nicotine without tobacco. There are small white pouches that contain nicotine. Users place the pouch between their gum and lip, where the nicotine is absorbed into the body. Like vapes and cigarettes, nicotine pouches and snus are highly addictive because they could contain nicotine. Like vapes and cigarette, nicotine pouches and snus are highly addictive because they contain nicotine. They are often marketed with sweet flavors and colorful packaging that appeals to young people. And some people wrongly believe they are safer than cigarettes or vapes, but they still carry serious health risks, including damage to gums, mouth, increased heart rate, and nausea. Like vapes, nicotine pouches and snus are relatively new. So scientists don't know all the long-term health effects. If you're worried about smoking, vaping, or nicotine pouches or snus, whether it's about yourself or someone else, it's always okay to ask for help. Nicotine is highly addictive, which means stopping can be really difficult. Remember, asking for help is a sign of strength. You can talk to a trusted adult at home or school, contact Childline on 0800 1111 for free, confidential advice 24/7, or use the "NHS Smokefree" resources via their website. It's time for our next check for understanding. Which of these is a health risk from using nicotine pouches or snus? A, it causes damage to gums in the mouth; B, addiction to nicotine; and C, increased heart rate. Well, the correct answer is actually all three. There are three health risks there listed, and they're all true. It's time for our next task. You're doing really well. Read the conversation between Jun and Alex. Write a new conversation so it doesn't contain any misconceptions and myths. Jun says, "Everyone vapes. Also, they aren't even addictive. Vapes are just flavored air." And Alex says, "The flavors in vapes are completely harmless, and there are no nasty chemicals in vapes, unlike cigarettes." So you could pause the screen now and press play when you're ready to go through your answers. Let's go through what you've written, and your new conversation might look like this. Jun says, "The majority of under 18s in the UK don't vape. Vapes are addictive because most contain nicotine. Also, it isn't just flavored air and vapes. They contain chemicals like propylene glycol and flavorings, which, when heated, can cause health problems such as breathing difficulties." You can see there that Jun has replaced all those myths and misconceptions with facts. Let's have a look at how Alex has done the same. Alex now says, "When the flavorings in vapes are heated and inhaled, they can be harmful to the lungs. Even though vapes don't contain tar or carbon monoxide like cigarettes, they still can create harmful chemical compounds." Well done if your answers look like Alex's and Jun's. It's time to move on to our final learning cycle. What is the law around smoking and vaping? There are specific laws in the UK. The law aims to protect young people from the harms of smoking and vaping. And the law has changed recently. So, people born in 2009 or later will never legally be sold tobacco. You must be 18 or over to be sold vaping products, and adults cannot be sold tobacco or vapes for the under 18s. There are rules about how tobacco and vaping products can be advertised. Tobacco packaging must include health warnings. Recently, the law around tobacco and vaping has changed with the introduction of the "Tobacco and Vapes Act 2026." Let's take a look at what it means for all of us together. So, people born in 2009 or later will never be able to legally be sold tobacco products. You must now be 18 or older to legally be sold vaping and nicotine products. And smoking and vaping are now restricted in some public places to help protect people's health. There are now bans on how tobacco and vaping products can be advertised and promoted. And there are new rules which aim to reduce young people's access and use of vaping products. You might wonder, "Why do we have laws about smoking and vaping?" And it's an important question to ask. But the laws are designed to protect young people, and all of us, really, from the harms of smoking and vaping. They're designed to reduce the number of people who start smoking and to help create a smoke-free generation. The laws are designed to make tobacco and vaping products less appealing to young people and children and to improve public health. That's the health of all of us. And the laws have changed over time. Before 2007, people were allowed to smoke indoors in many public places. Smoking indoors meant that other people could breathe in harmful smoke, or passive smoking, even if they did not smoke themselves. The law to ban smoke inside public spaces was designed to protect people from secondhand smoke, to improve public health, and to make public places healthier. So, the law around smoking and vaping is often changing. And the change in 2026 means that people born on or after the 1st of January 2009 will never legally be sold tobacco products. We can see in that illustration there are some young people. And behind it, it says, "Smoke-free generation." Anyone born on or after the 1st of January 2009 will never legally be sold tobacco. The law aims to protect young people, to reduce smoking, to improve health, and create a smoke-free generation. This means people who were born before 2009 can still legally be sold tobacco if they're old enough. And here we can see a gentleman going into a shop and asking for, "A pack of cigarettes, please." The person serving him says, "Yes, here you are." And they are legally able to sell the cigarettes to that pack. But people in 2009 or later will never be able to legally be sold tobacco products such as cigarettes. This new law aims to help children grow up without smoking and avoid the harms caused by tobacco. We can see there that somebody is trying to buy a pack of cigarettes, but he's born after 2009. And the person behind the counter says, "I am sorry, but by law, I cannot sell tobacco products to anyone born in 2009 onwards." It's time for our next check for understanding. True or false: people born in 2009 or later will never legally be sold tobacco products. Is that true, or is it false? It's true, and I wonder if you can tell me why. Well, the "Tobacco and Vapes Act of 2026" aims to create a smoke-free generation by preventing people born in 2009 or later from legally being sold tobacco products. You might also ask, "What is the law around vaping?" Well, a person must be 18 or over to be sold vaping products. Adults cannot buy vaping products for under 18s, and shops cannot sell to vaping products to under 18s. There are bans on vaping advertising. The "Tobacco and Vapes Act" allows for stricter rules to make vaping products less appealing to children and young people. There are new rules that limit designs that appeal to young people. There are rules that will restrict flavors that appeal to children. There'll be a ban on promotions aimed at young people and rules that limit packaging that attracts young people. All of these changes are designed to make vaping appeal less to children and young people. It's time for our next check for understanding. True or false: a person over the age of 18 can legally buy cigarettes and vaping products for someone under the age of 18. The correct answer is false, and I wonder if you can tell me why. Well, it is illegal for a person over the age of 18 to buy cigarettes and/or vaping products for anyone under the age of 18. Anyone who does this can be fined. It's time for our final task of today's lesson. Well done. You've worked really hard. Josh is 16 years old and began vaping when he was 14. He still vapes regularly and has seen vaping in the toilets. Josh says, "I've been vaping for years, so the new law doesn't affect me." I want you to think about these questions. And it starts with number one: is Josh legally allowed to be sold a vape? Explain your answer. Two: could an adult legally buy a vape for Josh? Why or why not? Question three: what parts of the "Tobacco and Vapes Act" are designed to reduce vaping among young people like Josh? And question four: do you think the new law will affect Josh? Explain your answer. You can pause the screen now and, when you're ready to go through your answers, just press play. Okay, let's go through your answers together. Just a reminder that Josh is 16 years old and began vaping when he was 14. He still vapes regularly and has seen vaping in the toilets. Josh says, "I've been vaping for years. The new law doesn't affect me." Your answers might look like this. To the first question, "Is Josh legally allowed to be sold a vape? Explain your answer." No, Josh is 16, and the law says that people must be 18 or over to be sold vaping products. A shop cannot legally sell a vape to him. Question two: "Could an adult legally buy a vape for Josh? Why or why not?" No, it's illegal for an adult to buy a vaping product for somebody under the age of 18. The law helps protect young people from the harms of vaping. Your answers might have continued like this. So, for question three, "What parts of the 'Tobacco and Vapes Act' are designed to reduce vaping among young people like Josh?" And you might have written, "The law introduces stricter rules on vaping advertisements, packaging, flavors, and product displays. These changes are designed to make vaping products less appealing to children and young people." And for question four, "Do you think the new law will affect Josh? Explain your answer." Well, yes. Although Josh already vapes, the law may make it harder for him to access vaping products. He may also see fewer advertisements and products designed to appeal to young people. The law aims to stop more young people from starting to vape and encourage healthier choices. Well done. We're going to take a moment now to summarize what we've learned in today's lesson. Smoking is the act of burning tobacco in cigarettes and inhaling the smoke product. Vapes are electronic cigarettes that heat e-liquid to create an aerosol. Most vapes contain nicotine and allow users to inhale it without the tar and carbon monoxide found in cigarettes. Nicotine pouches and snus are small pouches placed between the gum and lip that deliver nicotine without smoke or aerosol. People may start smoking, vaping, or using nicotine pouches or snus for various reasons, including peer pressure and stress relief. And finally, all these products contain nicotine, which is highly addictive, and all these products carry serious health risks. Well done for all of your work in today's lesson. I hope you join us for another Oak National Academy lesson sometime very soon. It might be that throughout today's lesson, you've though that you might need some more support. Here are some places you might go to. The NHS website, Live Well, offers advice on healthy living, exercise, quitting smoking, and drinking less alcohol. And Childline is a website and phone line which is able to offer confidential advice and support. Thank you for all your hard work today. Well done.