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The newsletter articles this term have been about starting the year with positive habits and a positive mindset. Unfortunately, we can all slip into negative habits that impact us. Some examples of negative habits can be, not getting enough sleep or too much screen time. This article is on Vaping, the first topic requested from a parent.
Vaping is a negative habit that can be an issue for many adolescents. It happens everywhere including in our community. I want you to be aware of the impacts on the health of your teenager.
There has been a recent spike in incidents involving student vaping, especially after COVID lockdowns.
I hope I can give you resources if you feel your child is involved in this kind of behaviour, as well as alert you to possible repercussions if your child engages in vaping on school property. We take this issue very seriously due to the negative health effects vaping can have on our students and often find that our parents are often not aware of the risks around vaping. The increase in vaping prompted us to do more research and we want to share our findings with you.
The below link is a great start to help you know about vaping. It is written by Paul Dillon, who is well known in this field and is the Director and founder of DARTA.
Vaping is the act of inhaling a vapour produced by an electronic vaporizer or e-cigarette. The vapour can contain nicotine and other substances which is concerning. The liquids that are vaporized come in many different flavours and might even smell fruity. For example, many of the flavours of these liquid concentrates, or ‘vape juices’, are sweet and even have names such as cinnamon roll, marshmallow, grape, strawberry, bubblegum, lemonade and cookies. Vaporizers/e-cigarettes come in all different shapes. Some common styles we see look like a thick pen, a stylus for an iPad, a flash drive, or a small flask with a round chimney coming off the top. The devices are very small and can easily be hidden on a person or blend in with normal backpack items.
Like cigarettes, stores cannot sell vaping items to people under the age of 18. However, students report that they purchase the devices online or buy from older siblings or friends. When students vape it can be a peer pressure issue, or they are simply curious and want to try it out. It is reported that students even share and suck on the same vaping device which can have other health-related concerns.
In a recent article written by Duncan Murray from news.com.au, he states “The prevalence of vaping among Australians aged 14 or older more than doubled from 2016 to 2019 and is most common with people aged 18–24, according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.”
“While the long term effects of vaping are not well known, a large number of health experts say ingesting foreign chemicals into the lungs as occurs with vaping, is a recipe for disaster.” The term EVALI is used by health professionals to describe the impact of vaping on the lungs. It stands for e-cigarette or vaping product use associated with lung injury.
Vaping is prohibited at William Carey Christian School and has a strong stance on any prohibited items, often resulting in serious consequences. We know that using nicotine may make it harder for school-related tasks such as learning and concentration. Students may not be aware of the harmful effects of vaping. Our goal is to partner with parents to help support our students in making positive decisions for themselves and their future. We encourage you to have a conversation with your student(s) about this topic.
I hope you find this article informative and understand our concerns about this harmful issue. Below are some recent articles that you may want to visit for more information on the dangers of vaping.
Regards,
Anthony Hudson
High School Deputy Principal