‘Vape Brain’ sculpture highlights dangers to teens

A sculpture of a brain made from boxes of seized illegal vapes is touring schools in Hertfordshire to highlight the impact nicotine dependency has on mental health.

The parametric sculpture was made by 3D design students from Hertford Regional College in Ware, who say manufacturers “target them with flavours and packaging”.

About 28,000 illegal vapes have been seized this year by Hertfordshire trading standards officers, who say unregulated vapes can contain unknown and harmful substances.

It was 3D design student Milena Melnychenko, 19, who came up with idea to create slices of the brain in different colours.

“We wanted to show the health effects on different areas of the brain. Vaping can cause depression and stress,” she said.

She added that vaping was marketed on social media, and that despite the age restrictions most students who vaped “just make fake IDs and go to shops and buy them”.

It is illegal to sell vapes to anyone under 18.

“They trick young people by making products look fun and harmless so many kids don’t know the real dangers or how addictive they can be,” Milena said.

Rules on how vapes are packaged and displayed in shops are set to be tightened over concerns that the devices appeal to children.

The BBC understands the government will make it illegal to sell nicotine products to under-18s as part of the the Tobacco and Vapes Bill.

Jie, 17, thinks vaping is “not worth the risk”.

“The amount of Year 7 and 8 children who you see vaping outside school… they want to seem older and cooler. It’s sad they’re damaging their lungs to try to fit in.”

Roxana Acodrinesei, 19, said she tried vapes to deal with college stress and to relax.

“My parents used to smoke, including vapes, and I have tried them because of the colours of the boxes. As a teenager, you want to try all the flavours, but after I did this research I quit,” she said.

“Because your brain isn’t fully developed, it can affect your concentration. You can get heart and lung problems.”

Dr Allison Wren, Hertfordshire County Council’s deputy executive member for public health and community safety, said many young people believed that vaping helped with stress.

“That’s a mistaken belief,” she said.

“Nicotine dependency can actually increase anxiety and other mental health issues.”

Lewis, 17, hopes the touring sculpture will catch the attention of younger students.

“It was quite a big shock to see the before and after differences in someone who vapes,” he said.

“People would become fidgety and anxious if they couldn’t have a vape.

“If more people knew about the mental health issues they would think twice.”

An Office for National Statistics survey suggests 6.7% of people aged 16 and over in Britain use a vape or e-cigarette every day, up from 5.9% in 2023.

Another 3.3% say they use one occasionally.

The use of e-cigarettes daily or occasionally remained highest among 16 to 24-year-olds in 2024 at 13%, down from 15.8% in 2023.

The sculpture will tour schools across Hertfordshire, supported by lessons about vaping risks and mental health.

Hertfordshire County Council is asking people to report suspected illegal trading of vapes via its website.