BBC News – A 12-year-old girl who suffered a lung collapse and spent four days in an induced coma has told the BBC that children should never start vaping.
Sarah Griffin had asthma and was a heavy vaper when she was rushed to hospital with breathing problems a month ago.
Her mum Mary told the BBC she feared she was going to lose her daughter.
The UK government has announced plans to restrict the marketing and sale of vapes targeted at children.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said the proposals – which are open for public consultation for the next eight weeks – would “reverse the worrying rise in youth vaping” by making vapes less colourful and less appealing to children.
“Even though it’s illegal to sell vapes to anyone under the age of 18, Sarah bought vapes over the counter and became addicted to the nicotine hit.”
Health Secretary Steve Barclay said the government was committed to taking immediate legislative action following the consultation, telling BBC Radio 4’s Today programme “head teachers are concerned, parents are concerned, about our children being targeted” by vape companies.
Speaking at the Labour Party conference, shadow health secretary Wes Streeting said a Labour government would come down like a “tonne of bricks” on vaping companies pushing flavours like ‘rainbow burst’ at children.
Sarah Griffin’s bedroom at her home in Belfast is like that of most 12-year-old girls – a dressing table littered with make-up, perfume bottles and hair straighteners, with some childhood cuddly toys on the bed.
But this is where Sarah also used to hide her vapes from her mum – even cutting holes in the carpet to keep them out of sight.
Sarah had started vaping when she was just nine …
