Vapes are being used by young girls as an appetite suppressant, health experts have warned.
Girls are said to be using the nicotine replacement product to curb hunger pangs, prompting fears about the unknown long-term health effects.
Vape shops and online stores in the UK are prohibited from selling e-cigarettes to anyone under the age of 18.
But there is growing concern the flavoured products are reaching children.
Public health expert Professor Linda Bauld was involved in research that suggested e-cigarettes can be useful for adults who have stopped smoking to avoid weight gain.
But she said their use by young girls was ‘concerning’.
Prof Bauld, professor of public health at Edinburgh University, said: ‘We certainly need to be vigilant in relation to this.
‘Nicotine is an appetite suppressant and also raises the metabolic rate so, if these young girls are using vapes to control their appetite, they are probably doing it for a good reason – because it actually will.
‘Obviously, this is very concerning if it is linked to eating disorders.
‘What we found in our study was these were smokers – which is a different group – who had switched to vaping.
‘Instead of a pudding, they might have a flavoured vape.
‘The bottom line would be we need to keep these products away from young people.
‘There is certainly evidence young people are using them and these are not products for non-smokers or children – that’s why we have an age of sale.
‘But young people manage to get around that in the same way they do for cigarettes.
‘We need to ensure we enforce the policies we have now.
‘Schools need to be aware of it and retailers need to make sure they are not getting into the hands of children.
‘We know vaping will have far less of an impact on health outcomes than smoking – but what we don’t have is a cohort of people who have never vaped who have been followed up over time.’
Sheila Duffy, chief executive of anti-smoking organisation Ash Scotland, also said the use of vapes by young girls as an appetite suppressant was alarming and called for tighter advertising controls.
She said: ‘Vaping products are age-restricted for good reason as they can be highly addictive, and many include toxic chemicals that have not been safety tested and could damage health over time.
‘This is especially a danger for children and young people, as their lungs are still growing.’
Julie Gordon, of Glasgow City Youth Health Service, said there was a ‘significant’ rise in the number of people aged 12 to 18 receiving help for eating disorders during the pandemic.
A breakdown in support and increased isolation is thought to have contributed to the increase.
Emma Broadhurst, Scotland officer for the eating disorder charity Beat, said: ‘I know from previous roles that teenage girls used to smoke to suppress appetite so this doesn’t surprise me.’
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