Lesson video

Hello.

My name's Ms. Willow, and I'm going to be your teacher for today's lesson.

Today's lesson is called Smoking and Vaping, and it fits into the unit Risky Substances, What Do I Need To Know About Tobacco and Vaping?

During this lesson, we are going to be discussing some sensitive content, so for this lesson, we recommend that you have an adult with you.

If at any point you do feel worried or uncomfortable, it's really important that you stop the lesson and that you speak to a trusted adult.

Okay, let's make a start on today's lesson.

By the end of today's lesson, you'll be able to explain what smoking and vaping are and the laws surrounding them.

Before we get started with today's lesson, we need to go with some ground rules.

These help to make sure that everyone feels safe and comfortable during today's lesson.

First of all, Laura says that we need to listen to others.

"It's okay to disagree with each other, but we should always listen properly before we make any assumptions or before we decide how to respond.

When we disagree with someone else, it's important to challenge the statement and not the person themselves.

" Next, Andeep says that we need to respect each other's privacy.

"We can discuss examples, but we shouldn't use any names or descriptions that identify anyone including ourselves.

" Next, we have Jacob.

Jacob says, "No judgment.

We can explore any beliefs and misunderstandings about a topic without fear of being judged by others.

" And finally, Izzy says that we can choose our level of participation.

"Everyone has the right to choose not to answer a question or to join in with discussion.

We should never put anyone on the spot.

" We're now going to take a look at the keywords for today's lesson.

Our first keyword is cigarette.

This is a thin stick of tobacco wrapped in paper that people smoke.

It's bad for health and can cause many serious diseases.

Next, we have tobacco.

This is a plant used in cigarettes that contains nicotine and produces harmful smoke when burned.

Next, we have nicotine.

This is an addictive drug that cigarettes and some vapes contain.

Next, we have addictive.

If something's addictive, it makes you want to keep using it or doing it even if it's not good for you.

And finally, we have vape.

A vape is an electronic device filled with chemicals that creates an aerosol, which is breathed in.

Today's lesson is split into three learning cycles.

Our first learning cycle is called What Is Smoking?

Our second learning cycle is called What Is Vaping?

And our last learning cycle is called What is the Law Around Smoking and Vaping?

Let's make a start on our first learning cycle.

What is smoking?

Cigarettes are sticks of shredded tobacco.

It begins as a tobacco plant.

It's then dried and rubbed and 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.

Nicotine is a highly addictive substance.

Addiction can happen after only days of infrequent inhalation of nicotine.

When nicotine is inhaled, it causes dopamine to be released in the brain.

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 what we call a stimulant.

A stimulant is a substance that speeds up messages between the brain and the body.

Effects of stimulants like nicotine include feeling more awake or alert and temporary improvement in concentration.

However, these effects are short-lived and they wear off quickly.

When the effects of this 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, which means cancer-causing substances within cigarette smoke, including tar, arsenic and carbon monoxide.

Let's do a check for understanding to see how you're doing so far.

What is the highly addictive substance in cigarettes?

Can you remember?

A, tobacco, B, nicotine and C tar?

What is the highly addictive substance in cigarettes?

Tobacco, nicotine, or tar?

What do you think?

Pause the video, talk to people around you or have a think to yourself.

Well done if you said that nicotine is correct.

Nicotine is the highly addictive substance in cigarettes.

Well done if you remembered this.

People might choose to smoke for a variety of different reasons.

Some people believe that it relieves stress and improves mood.

People might choose to smoke because of peer pressure or because of smoking in the family.

They might also smoke because they have a nicotine addiction.

Nicotine has some immediate but short term effects that some people enjoy.

These short-term effects can have long-term consequences.

So one of the short-term effects is sense of relaxation, but over time, cigarettes can cause cravings.

A short term effect of nicotine is that it can relieve stress, but over time, withdrawals from cigarettes create stress.

Another short term effect of nicotine is improved concentration, but over time this could lead to brain function declining.

Young people may start smoking as a way to fit in.

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 doesn't smoke, especially young people.

Dr. Elsie says that according to the Commons Library in 2023, less than 12% of the UK population were smokers, and less than 1% of 11 to 15 year olds reported regular smoking.

Let's do another check for understanding.

Is this statement true or false?

The majority of the UK population smokes?

What do you think?

This is true or false?

Pause the video, talk to people around you or have a think to yourself.

Well done if you said that this is false, but why?

You might have said that the majority, so 88% in 2023 of the UK population doesn't smoke.

Well done if you said this or something similar.

We're now moving on to our first practice task, and well done for your hard work so far.

I'd 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, so I've already labeled this image of the cigarette with cigarettes contain nicotine and tobacco.

Pause the video and have go through what your completed image might look like in a few minutes.

Okay, let's see what you might have said.

You might have said that less than 12% of the UK population smokes, that the short-term effects lead to long-term health consequences, that cigarettes contain nicotine and tobacco, that people may start smoking due to peer pressure.

Any good feelings from cigarettes or short term cigarettes contain harmful substances such as tar and arsenic.

These are just some of the facts about smoking that you have learned in this learning cycle, so well done if you had some of these ideas.

We're now moving on to our second learning cycle.

What is vaping?

Vapes are electronic devices.

Most contain nicotine and stimulate smoking by allowing nicotine to be inhaled through an aerosol, often called vapor, rather than a 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, and flavorings.

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 from others, because nicotine is addictive and stopping can cause withdrawal symptoms, and because they've seen others vape online and in the media.

People may start vaping as a way of trying to stop smoking cigarettes.

Vapes 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.

Let's do another check for understanding.

Is the statement true or false?

All vapes contain nicotine, so they are harmless.

What do you think?

Is this true or false?

Pause the video, talk to people around you or have a think to yourself.

Well done if you said that this is false, but why?

You might have said that not all vapes contain nicotine, although most do, and vapes are not harmless.

The chemicals in vapes can damage your lungs when heated and inhaled, causing problems like breathing difficulties.

Well done if your answer was something like this or had some similar ideas.

Vapes are advertised as having fun and appealing flavors and common 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.

There are lots of myths around vaping, so some common myths include that everyone vapes.

In actual fact, 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.

In actual fact, most vapes contain nicotine, which is addictive in any form.

Another myth is that vapes aren't harmful.

It's just flavoring.

In actual fact, when flavorings are heated and inhaled into the lungs, they could cause damage.

Another myth is that vapes are better for the environment than cigarettes, but in actual fact, vapes are highly damaging to the environment.

They're made from plastic that can't be recycled and leak harmful chemicals when thrown away.

We're now going to look at the environmental and social impacts of vaping.

Vapes contain hazardous metals like lithium and cobalt.

Most 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.

Let's do another check for understanding to see how you're doing.

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, or D, vapes are good for the environment.

Which of those statements about vaping are myths?

Pause the video, talk to people around you, have a think to yourself.

Well done if you said that C and D are correct.

These are both myths about vaping.

It's not true that the flavors used in vapes are completely harmless and it's not true that vapes are good for the environment.

Well done if you got this right.

Nicotine pouches and snus are products like vapes, which have become popular in recent years.

Here you can see an illustration of nicotine pouches.

Snus contain tobacco and is illegal to sell in the UK.

Nicotine pouches are similar but contain nicotine without tobacco.

They're 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 contain nicotine.

They're often marketed with sweet flavors and colorful packaging that appeals to young people.

Some people wrongly believe that they're safer than cigarettes or vapes, but they still carry serious health risks including damage to gums and mouth, increased heart rate and nausea.

This means feeling sick.

Like vapes, nicotine pouches and snus are relatively new, so scientists don't yet know all the long-term health effects of using them.

If you're worried about smoking, vaping or nicotine pouches or snus, whether it's by yourself or someone else, it's always okay to ask for help.

Nicotine is highly addictive, which means that stopping can be really difficult.

Remember that asking for help is a sign of strength and not a sign of weakness.

You can ask for help by talking to a trusted adult at home or at school, and you can contact Childline on 0800 1111 for free and confidential advice 24/7.

You can also use the NHS's smoke-free resources via their website.

Let's do another check for understanding.

Which of these is a health risk from using nicotine pouches or snus?

A, damage to gums and mouth, B, addiction to nicotine, or C, increased heart rate?

Which of those is a health risk from using nicotine pouches or snus?

Pause the video, talk to people around you or Have a think to yourself.

Well done if you said that all of these are correct.

Damage to gums and mouth, addiction to nicotine and increased heart rate are all health risks from using nicotine pouches or snus.

Well done if you got this right.

We're now moving on to our second practice task, and well done for your hard work so far.

I'd like you to read the conversation between Jun and Alex.

I'd like you to write in new conversations that it doesn't contain misconceptions and myths.

Jun says, "Everyone vapes.

Also, they aren't even addictive.

Vapes are just flavored air.

" Alex says, "The flavors in vapes are completely harmless and there are no nasty chemicals in vapes unlike cigarettes.

" Can you write a new conversation between Jun and Alex so that it doesn't contain misconceptions and myths about vaping?

Pause the video and we'll go through some possible answers in a few minutes.

Okay, let's see what your new conversation might have looked like.

Jun might now say something like, 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.

Alex might now say something like, 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 can still create harmful chemical compounds.

Well done if your new conversation looked anything like this.

We're now moving on to our final learning cycle.

What is the law around smoking and vaping?

There are specific laws around smoking to protect young people in the UK.

You have to be over 18 to buy cigarettes.

Shops can be fined up to 2,500 pounds for selling cigarettes to someone under the age of 18.

It's also illegal for an adult to buy cigarettes for someone under the age of 18, and cigarette packaging must display graphic health warnings, distressing images of health conditions caused by smoking.

We have these laws to make smoking less appealing to young people, to make smokers consider the risks before they smoke, to emphasize the risks associated with smoking and to show the reality of what smoking can do to the body.

Let's do another check for understanding.

Why must cigarette packaging display graphic health warnings?

Can you remember?

Pause the video, talk to people around you or have a think to yourself.

You might have said that cigarette packaging displays graphic health warnings to show smokers the reality of smoking-related health conditions.

Well done if you had this answer or if you had something similar.

The laws on vaping are similar.

It's illegal to vape under the age of 18, for an adult to buy a vape for anyone under the age of 18, for a shop to sell vapes to anyone under 18, or packaging on vapes and vaping products must display a health warning, although they don't currently require graphic imagery.

Selling vapes or buying vapes for under 18s is punishable with a fine.

It's also illegal to sell nicotine pouches to anyone under 18 in the UK, and snus is illegal to sell in the UK.

We're now going to talk about the new laws to reduce vaping and smoking among young people.

Since June, 2025, the sale of disposable or single use vapes is now banned in England and Wales.

This ban aims to reduce environmental waste and make vaping less appealing to young people.

Potential government plans for the future include introducing higher taxes on vape products to make them more expensive, gradually raising the legal age to buy cigarettes each year, which would eventually create a smoke-free generation, and stricter rules on vape packaging and flavors to make them less attractive to children.

Let's do another check for understanding.

Is this statement true or false?

A person over the age of 18 can legally buy cigarettes for someone under the age of 18.

What do you think?

This is true or false?

Pause the video, talk to people around you or have a think to yourself.

Well done if you said that this is false, but why?

You might have said that it's illegal for a person over the age of 18 to buy cigarettes for anyone under the age of 18.

Anyone who does this can be fined.

Well done if your answer is something like this.

We're now going to move on to our final practice task, and well done for your hard work.

I'd like you to complete the table about smoking and vaping.

For both cigarettes and vapes, I'd like you to answer the questions, what does it contain?

Why might people choose to do it, and what is the law surrounding it?

Pause the video and we'll go through what your completed table might look like In a few minutes.

Okay.

Your completed table might look like this.

For what does it contain, for cigarettes, you might have said, tobacco, tar and nicotine, and for vapes you might have said nicotine, flavorings and other chemicals.

For why might people choose to do it, you might have said stress relief, peer pressure, if a family member does, influenced by people online or in the media, nicotine is an addictive substance, and some people vape when trying to give up smoking.

For cigarettes and what is the law surrounding it, you might have said that it's illegal to sell cigarettes to anyone under 18, or for anyone over 18 to buy them for someone under 18.

And for vapes, you might have said that it's illegal to sell vapes to anyone under 18, or for anyone over 18 to buy them for someone under 18.

Disposable vapes are also banned.

Well done if you completed table looks something like this.

We're now going to summarize the key learning from today's lesson.

In today's lesson, we've learned that smoking is the act of burning tobacco and cigarettes and inhaling the smoke produced.

Vapes are electronic devices that heat e-liquid to create an aerosol.

Most vapes do contain nicotine and allow users to inhale it without the tar and carbon monoxide that's found in cigarettes.

Nicotine pouches and snus are small pouches placed between the gum and lip that deliver nicotine without or aerosol.

People may start smoking, vaping or using nicotine pouches or snus for various reasons, including peer pressure and stress relief.

We've also learned that however, all these products contain nicotine, which is highly addictive.

All these products carry serious health risks.

In today's lesson, you might have found that you've got some worries or questions, and if you do, it's really important that you share these with a trusted adult.

There's also some resources on the screen that are there to help you too.

Well done for your hard work today.

I hope to see you again soon.