Fears are growing over the number of vape shops opening in Swindon and what it might mean for the health of younger members of the town's population.

But claims from health experts that smoking the products has long-term bone health implications have been dismissed by the body that represents the industry.

Vaping has become increasingly popular as a replacement for smoking, with at least 15 vape stores based in Swindon and nine in the town centre alone.

Their popularity has seen a surge in vape littering, as well as becoming a problem with children using them in and out of school.

Action on Smoking and Health reported 20.5 per cent of children had tried vaping in 2023, increasing from previous years.

Wiltshire Council said 60 per cent of young vapers in Great Britain were using fruit-flavoured, disposable vapes made to appear like sweets.

Now a leading expert in osteoporosis and rheumatology has stressed the link between poor bone-health and vaping.

Dr Taher Mahmud said studies suggesting there is a link between poor bone health and vaping have been emerging since 2020.

In his research at the London Osteoporosis Clinic, Dr Mahmud said nicotine in vapes interferes with how bones are formed and impairs their growth by reducing blood supply to the bones.

“People may not be aware but there are cancer-causing chemicals, including acetaldehyde and formaldehyde which are inhaled when someone vapes, alongside dangerous heavy metals like nickel, tin and lead. These all have an impact on how our body works, including bone health,” he said.

“Lead in particular is known to stunt skeletal growth in children and delays fracture healing and can contribute to osteoporosis.”

“These chemicals also increase oxidative stress and inflammation in the body, another situation which impairs bone health. Chronic inflammation, which regular vaping can cause, disrupts how bones are maintained in the body and eventually weakens them.”

Dr Mahmud stresses the importance of a healthy lifestyle and muscle-strengthening exercises to slow vaping’s impact on bone health, with stopping vaping completely being the most effective protection.

There is evidence from ‘Bone and Joint’ research that nicotine slows the production of bone-forming cells, which can slow recovery time for bone damage.

Vape and e-cigarette vendors in the Swindon area have declined to comment on the health risks involved in vaping.

And John Dunne, director general of the UK Industry Vaping Association, said the work did not take into account the positive impact vaping has on cigarette cessation.

“He ignores the simple conclusion from the Government’s Office for Health Improvements and Disparities that vaping is at least 95 per cent less harmful than smoking and is saving the lives of ex-smokers on a regular basis,” he said.

“His view that nicotine impacts bone density differs from the research and conclusions of Yorkshire Cancer Society who conclude that nicotine is ‘on its own…relatively harmless’.

 “With regard to heavy metals, you will find them in many vegetables and surprisingly in most baby food formulas – but as with vapes, the levels are incredibly low and governed by strict government guidelines. It is disingenuous to imply otherwise.”

The UK Food Standards Agency has said any levels of metal found in infant foods were compliant with food safety legislation.

Dunne continued: “Finally, Dr. Mahmud draws the conclusion that if you use vapes, you are more likely to take less exercise, have poor nutrition and poor lung health; these conclusions appear to be based on nothing more than prejudice and certainly not on evidence or research.”

“Vaping is the most effective way for smokers to quit and with 75,000 smokers dying in the UK every year, it is quite literally a lifeline. It is incredibly irresponsible to spread scare stories based on nothing more than conjecture"

But the UKVIA declined to comment on the long-term impact of vaping, or what research the industry is doing on its impact.

Vaping is regarded by the NHS as an effective method to stop smoking. In 2022, the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities did estimate vapes and e-cigarettes are 95 per cent less harmful than regular cigarettes.

Vaping is only recommended by the NHS for adults to use in quitting smoking.