Student vaping concerns rise with schools encouraged to report incidents
Image: Premier Chris Minns (Left), and Deputy Premier and Education Minister Prue Car (Right). Image: Prue Car/Facebook
By JUSTIN COOPER
The number of young students vaping in schools is getting worse according to the NSW education minister, calling for principals and teachers to stay alert and report incidents.
On Saturday, Education Minister Prue Car spoke out on the 65 recorded incidents of students vaping at school last year, saying the rising concern is “a top-order priority” for the NSW government.
Car is now calling upon school principals to report all incidents in order to provide an accurate depiction of the vaping crisis, which is to be addressed at an upcoming roundtable meeting.
“How can we actually work at solving a problem that we don’t really understand how much of a problem it is? We need our schools to report,” said Car.
“I encourage schools to report; I encourage schools to put up their hand and say we need help with this,” she continued.
Problem amongst primary and secondary schools
Incidents of students vaping have been seen across primary and secondary schools, public and private, with many being caught vaping during lunch-break periods and in bathrooms.
Within reports first published by News Corp, students have also been reported dealing vapes to other students amongst a few public schools.
The report also highlighted the health impacts of vaping on young people. One student was hospitalised after having a seizure resulting from vaping, whilst another collapsed from vaping during lunchtime.
Teachers have also been impacted due to needing to remain alert of all students, with an incident an outstanding student caught after a vape fell out of her bag.
Car notes that many principles and teachers have raised that incidents are continuing to rise, assuring that the government plans to further educate students about the impact of vaping.
“They smell like fruit, many of them and they look like little highlighters, but they are dangerous,” said Car.
“We need to make sure that we’re giving that information to children in a way they can consume.”
Strategies to be implemented
Labor is set to receive expert advice on how to manage the issue through a upcoming roundtable meeting, which was announced by Car.
Additionally, Car responded to questions regarding the government’s previous support of vape detecting systems, saying that they are working with schools reporting of “a particular problem” surrounding vaping.
In May, the Department of Education announced they were planning to order 40,000 nicotine and cannabis smoke detectors.
In response to the use of detectors, Car said that many schools have requested the devices but are wanting to look at implementation “as a whole community issue.”
Earlier in the year, the federal government would completely ban all disposable vapes – making Australia the first country to implement such a ban.
Experts have previously voiced concerns of increased vaping habits around the country, with Health Minister Mark Butler stating it was causing a “new generation of nicotine addicts” when announcing the incoming ban.
Whilst plans are currently being discussed around banning disposable vapes and minimising the current use of vaping devices by young people, it is unknown when we will see strategies implemented.
