Hundreds of students from Hull and the East Riding were given an insight into the dangers of vaping at a special educational event at Hull Royal Infirmary today.
NHS Humber Health Partnership, the organisation running Hull Royal Infirmary, Castle Hill Hospital, Diana, Princess of Wales Hospital in Grimsby, Scunthorpe General and Goole Hospital, held their Christmas Lecture for schools and colleges in the area.
Malet Lambert, Hymers College, Sirius Academy North, Sirius Academy West, The Marvell College, Newland School for Girls, Liberty Academy, Kelvin Hall, The Boulevard Academy, Ron Dearing UTC, Wyke College and St Mary’s College, all in Hull, were invited.
Driffield School and Sixth Form, Tranby in Anlaby and Market Weighton School, in the East Riding, also attended the hour-long lecture entitled “Your Lungs, Your Life”.
Professor Mike Crooks, Professor of Respiratory Medicine, delivered the lecture, outlining the function of the lungs and importance of good lung health before outlining the impact of vaping and smoking on these vital organs.
Professor Crooks told the audience: “Lungs are an important part of our body and we need to take care of them. Peak lung function is reached in your 20s so lung health in your early life is important to protect yourselves so you’re not a high risk of developing conditions.
“We have the second highest smoking rate in the country, although smoking rates are reducing. Nicotine rewires your brain from the first time you use it. It becomes a habit as well as an addition.
“Starting tobacco during adolescence increases the changes to your brain.
“National figures show that 16 to 24 year-olds are more likely to use vapes than cigarettes. Despite knowing what goes into a vape because the chemicals are listed, heating the e-liquid changes the composition and could potentially cause more cancer-causing chemicals.
“We don’t know the long-term impact as yet but research shows it alters the immune and inflammatory responses and increases susceptibility to infection and it can also increase chances of COPD.”
Some teachers volunteered to carry out spirometry tests, used to measure lung function, to highlight the importance of good lung health.
A Careers Fair was also held during the event at the Medical Education Centre in the grounds of the hospital.
Students were given the opportunity to learn about careers in the NHS including nursing and midwifery, pharmacy, neurophysiology, radiotherapy physics, medical engineers and radiology as well as non-clinical careers in payroll, finance and procurement.
Humber Health Champions also attended the event to recruit young people into their service, which offers young people the chance to gain knowledge and skills in a hospital setting.
