February 13, 2026

expert reaction to DHSC consultation on smoke-free or vape-free spaces

Scientists comment on a Department for Health & Social Care (DHSC) consultation of smoke-free and vape-free spaces. 

Prof Caitlin Notley, Professor of Addiction Sciences, Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, said:

“Smokefree legislation in England has been extremely important in de-normalising tobacco smoking and in protecting vulnerable people and children from exposure to second-hand smoke. There is clear evidence that second-hand exposure to smoke is harmful to health. We should protect children and NHS patients from being exposed to others smoke for this reason, and so that children don’t see smoking as a behaviour that they may copy and take up themselves.

“The health evidence on exposure to second hand vapour is much less clear. Most would agree that children should not be exposed to vaping in places like playgrounds and around schools. However, for adults who smoke tobacco, vaping is a highly effective way of stopping smoking. This can be a life-saving intervention. For NHS patients who smoke, we may therefore need to consider permitting vaping on NHS premises so that we give a clear message about the importance of smoking cessation. This is especially important for those who are long term in-patients, for example in a mental health care setting.

“I welcome this consultation as it will allow a whole range of views to be heard and the evidence to be fully considered.”

Dr Sarah Jackson, Principal Research Fellow, UCL Tobacco and Alcohol Research Group, University College London, said:

“The proposal to extend smoke-free legislation to playgrounds, schools, and hospital grounds is a logical and proportionate step to better protect children and medically vulnerable people. The harms of second-hand tobacco smoke are well established, and strengthening protections in places where children gather and patients receive care is sensible – not only to reduce exposure, but also to avoid normalising smoking or vaping behaviours in environments where children may see and model them.

“At the same time, it is important that policy clearly distinguishes between smoking and vaping in hospital settings, where concerns about modelling effects on children are far less relevant and the focus is primarily on patient welfare and staff environments. Smoking involves combustion and produces thousands of chemicals, many of which are carcinogenic, while vaping is substantially less harmful and effective for helping people quit.

“Second-hand exposure also differs: smoke comes both from the burning tip of the cigarette and exhaled smoke, whereas e-cigarettes release aerosol only when exhaled, resulting in far lower bystander exposure. Research led by UCL¹ found that people exposed to second-hand vapour absorb around 84% less nicotine than those exposed to second-hand smoke. While not zero, exposure from vaping is far lower than from smoking, and levels of other toxicants are likely to be lower still. Nicotine itself is of limited risk but represents a plausible upper bound of potential exposure, with non-nicotine toxicants likely to be present at far lower levels.

“Regulations should therefore be proportionate and reflect the lower risks of vaping compared with smoking.”

¹ https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2821086; https://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2024/jul/second-hand-vaping-exposure-very-low-compared-second-hand-smoking

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/children-to-be-better-protected-from-second-hand-smoking-vaping

Declared interests

Sarah Jackson: “No COIs to declare.”

Caitlin Notley: “I am Editor-in-Chief for the Journal ‘Nicotine and Tobacco Research’. I have never received funding from the tobacco, vaping or pharmaceutical  industries for research.”

For all other experts, no reply to our request for DOIs was received.