Dangers of vaping were presented to leaders in Peace River School Division Dec. 12.
Alberta Heath Services health promotions facilitator Tammy Novak described the dangers to the division’s council of school councils.
About 30 people attended the presentation, including the PRSD board, school principals, school parent council representatives and Supt. Adam Murray, says a PRSD news release Dec. 13.
“Youth see smoking as dirty, gross and smelly, but they don’t see the same things with vaping,” Novak says.
Besides covering the basics of why vaping is considered less harmful than cigarettes for adult but not harmless, she stressed the fact that vaping was never intended for youth and non-smokers.
However, by using glamourized advertising and flavoured vaping liquid, the vaping industry had caught the eye of youth, Novak says.
Her presentation inspired significant productive conversation among those at the presentation.
Representatives from Peace River and Fairview high schools shared their experiences with vape sensors in school washrooms. Vape sensors at Peace High have been particularly successful to discourage students from using the washrooms to vape, which in turn has made the washrooms a safer place to the rest of the students.
Murrary also shared the consequences of students vaping. When asked by a school council representative what the Division’s policy is regrading the use of vaping products on school grounds, Murray explained PRSD maintains that vaping liquid is a substance and it is being abused.
As a result, students found vaping on school property, which includes buses, have their vaping paraphernalia confiscated and are then often suspended.