You may have noticed that over the past few years, vaping has become increasingly popular among teenagers.

We feel it is timely to discuss our concerns to our school community. Vapes have their place in helping people kick the smoking habit, but ‘lower risk than cigarettes’ does not mean ‘no risk’, and they should not be used recreationally.

So, why are schools worried about the effect of vaping on our students? This article is going to focus primarily on the effects of nicotine, as the long-term effects of the heavy metals and synthetic organic chemicals present are still widely unknown. 

Studies have shown that the effects of nicotine, which is found in the majority of vaping products, begin to wear off as early as 30 minutes after inhalation, and craving begins to kick in - this is really unfortunate timing for students who have hour-long lessons. Nicotine can also impair cognitive ability (reduced thinking), decrease impulse control (reacting before thinking), delay behavioural development (acting younger than they are) and increase feelings of irritation (moodier). This combination of factors makes it harder for a person exposed to nicotine to avoid getting into trouble at school.

We don’t fully know the full effects of vaping on our teenagers’ health. The Ministry of Health believes that knowledge of the full effects of vaping is still several years away. Despite the risks, vapes are still marketed to young people. The flavours of vaping products, like fruit, candy, and dessert, are designed to attract young people, and these flavours can make vaping more enticing and easier to consume in large amounts. However, one of the main reasons the flavours are present is to mask the unpleasant taste of nicotine and other chemicals, making it difficult for teens to recognise the risks involved. Our brain is pretty good at giving feedback about what we shouldn’t be consuming, and the pleasant flavours help trick it into thinking vapes are non-toxic.

As parents, teachers, and community members, we must work together to educate teenagers about the risks of vaping and help them make informed decisions. Encouraging young people to avoid vaping and providing support for those struggling with addiction is essential. If you know a student struggling to kick a nicotine habit, they can contact our health nurses to join the smoking/vaping cessation clinic. Non-students who want to quit can talk with their GP or check out Quitline here: https://quit.org.nz/#vaping

A number of groups are calling for greater scrutiny and regulation of the vaping industry, especially around permitted ingredients and nicotine levels. These have been joined by a local petition to Parliament calling for restriction and regulation of places of sale. This petition can be found here: https://bit.ly/VapePetition23.

Until we know the full risks of these devices, anything we can do to ensure that vapes are available to those who need them (i.e. smokers) and restricted from recreational use will benefit our children.