A pilot scheme aimed at reducing the number of school children taking up smoking and vaping has been launched in Liskeard.

Liskeard School and Community College will be taking part in the scheme, funded by Cornwall Council which is aimed in preventing young people from taking up smoking and discouraged from taking up vaping, which is becoming increasingly popular.

Statistics from NHS Digital showed that vaping is becoming more popular nationally with teenage children nationally, with nine percent of 11 to 15 year olds currently using e-cigarettes, a three percent increase from 2018. However, the statistics also show that the number of teenage children taking up cigarette smoking has decreased from five percent to three percent in the same time period.

It aims to achieve this by educating students about the consequences of smoking and vaping, offering weekly face-to-face support and workshops, in addition to reviewing the school’s smoke-free policy.

Cornwall Council’s Trading Standards team has already been carrying out an initial inspection of shops in the area, offering Under Age Sales (UAS) advice to any shop selling vapes and seizing any non-compliant products. The team is set to return to Liskeard later in February.

In addition, the scheme will aim to help adults, including the parents of pupils at the school to quit smoking through face-to-face and virtual support groups.

Liskeard was chosen as the area for the pilot scheme, which will be rolled out to other areas if successful, due to being an area where there are ‘health inequalities’ – that is, unfair and avoidable differences in people’s health, healthcare services and opportunities to lead a healthier lifestyle.

Chris Knipe, deputy head at Liskeard School and Community College, said: “There is a growing concern across the UK that the number of young people using vapes is increasing and that young people often do not fully understand the potential health risks associated.

“Members of the Cornwall Council Health Improvement Team have been visiting Liskeard School and Community College to run educational workshops and assemblies with students, as well as offering drop-in sessions to support members of the community to quit smoking and vaping.

“Feedback from students involved has been extremely positive and we hope this pilot rolls out across all of Cornwall in the coming months.”

Dr Ruth Goldstein, assistant director of public health for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, added: “It is vital that we dissuade as many young people as possible from smoking so they don’t enter adulthood as smokers. Young people who take up vaping is also a developing problem, and we’re keen to tackle it head on at an early stage.

“By the same token, we are also determined to help as many adult smokers as possible ditch the cigarettes as the catastrophic effect this has on your health can never be understated.

“This pilot scheme in Liskeard is a great way of addressing these issues and, if successful, we hope to replicate it across all of our communities in Cornwall.”

Cllr Dr Andy Virr, portfolio holder for adults and public health at Cornwall Council, noted concern at the number of children taking up vaping. He said: “Vaping is undoubtedly a useful tool for adults trying to quit smoking tobacco, but our concern is the growing trend of young people taking up vaping who have never smoked.

“As is the case with tobacco, vapes and e-cigarettes shouldn’t be sold or provided to people under 18 so as part of this pilot we’ll also be making sure traders aren’t breaking the law and exacerbating the problem.”