E-cigarettes or vapes have been used by people to help them stop smoking for several years now.
We support people who choose to use a vape to quit smoking, and also support people to quit vaping. For an informal chat, feel free to contact us.
It is important that if you choose to use a vape to help you quit smoking, to make sure it is compliant with EU and Scottish regulations, and to purchase these from registered retailers.
Current evidence tells us that using e-cigarettes is significantly less harmful than smoking tobacco, but is not risk free, particularly if you have any lung-related health conditions.
If people use vapes as a complete replacement for smoking, they’ll almost certainly benefit their health. The benefit comes from stopping smoking, not using the e-cigarette. Therefore it’s best not to use both cigarettes and e-cigarettes, but stop smoking tobacco completely.
As vapes are not licensed as a medical product, they cannot be provided on prescription; however if you choose to use a vape to quit smoking, we will support you through your quit.
The effectiveness of using e-cigarettes compared with stop smoking medications is mixed.
Further information can be found at NHS Inform and also NHS UK.
Vaping factsheets
Vaping factsheet for young people
Vaping factsheet for adults
Tips to help quit vaping
Parents and carers
If you’re a parent or carer looking for further information and advice if your child vapes, visit Parent Club’s vaping page here.
Feel free to read through Vaping Information for Parents and Carers, produced as part of the Planet Youth project by NHS Highland in October 2024.
Planet Youth applies protective and preventative strategies based on an Icelandic model tackling substance misuse. Hundreds of children are involved in the project across Highland.
Remember it is against the law to purchase vapes on behalf of under 18s.
Vapes are not for children and young people – the only use for vapes is as a stop smoking aid.