Debate contribution: Vaping: Dangers to Children

Debate contribution by Mrs Cathy Mason on 22 October 2024.

MLA

Mrs Cathy Mason

Party at the time

Sinn Féin

Date

22 October 2024

Type

Debate contribution

Business

Private Members' Business

Heading

Vaping: Dangers to Children

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 4608531

Read the official Assembly record

Text

I beg to move

Go raibh maith agat, a Phríomh-Leas-Cheann Comhairle.

We are facing a growing crisis in our schools that poses a significant threat to the health, well-being and education of our young people. Vaping has rapidly emerged as one of the biggest concerns among schools, parents and young people themselves right across the North. Something that was once confined to a small portion of society, and was seen as a tool to help people stop smoking, has become one of the top disciplinary challenges for schools. I hear constantly from principals that vaping on school grounds is becoming uncontrollable. It is now one of the primary issues that they must deal with daily. I have sat in meetings with principals who have reached into their desk drawers and pulled out bags of hundreds of confiscated vapes. They have also described scenes of police vehicles and ambulances being called to school grounds, sometimes on a daily basis. Principals, teachers and school staff are rightly concerned about the rising number of children who are vaping. Their concern stems from the fact that they feel ill-equipped and unsupported in tackling the growing problem. Staff are struggling to keep up with the scale of the issue and they are doing so with minimal guidance and resources. The situation is untenable and unfair. Let me be clear though: the recent move to ban single-use vapes is a positive step. It shows a willingness to address the problem, but unfortunately it falls short of tackling the broader issue. The reality is that refillable and reusable vapes remain as easily accessible as disposable ones. In preparing for the debate, I met with a range of public health experts. It is clear that there are practical things that we can start looking at now that could make a difference. The Tobacco Retailers Act was introduced in 2014. Things have moved on so much since then, and we need to keep up. We could look at a new licensing regime for retailers who sell the products and get tougher on those who flout the law and sell them to children. These devices are marketed with bright, eye-catching packaging, appealing advertising and, most concerning of all, sweet flavourings that are designed to attract young audiences. A study from King's College London found that the colourful designs on vape packaging, alongside enticing flavour options, were far more appealing to young people. The most commonly used vape flavour amongst children is fruit, which 60% of young users are choosing. That tells us something important. We are not dealing with an accidental issue here. Vape companies are deliberately targeting young people with their products, and that should alarm us all. Removing single-use vapes does not address the underlying pressures that young people face, particularly in a school environment where peer influence is strong. Schools are under enormous pressure trying to enforce disciplinary measures for students caught vaping on school grounds. Right now, the default position is often to suspend those who are caught, but that approach is causing further problems. Students who are already struggling with nicotine addiction are being removed from their classrooms, missing valuable learning time and possibly falling further behind in their education. We need an expert-led process that aims to eradicate vaping in schools whilst ensuring that it does not create educational disadvantages for those children. The current response is not working, and it risks leaving vulnerable children even more marginalised. Nicotine e-liquid vaping is only part of the issue. There has been a sharp increase in reports from principals that students are vaping marijuana, THC liquids and even more dangerous synthetic drugs such as spice. That is where the issue becomes even more concerning. Some schools have been forced to vacate classrooms and designate safe spaces for students who are high on those substances. Just imagine the impact that that is having on the educational environment, not just for the students who are involved but for everyone in the school. It is unacceptable that under-resourced schools are being forced to surrender facilities to deal with those dangerous situations. The educational and health impacts are profound. Not only are the students who vape those substances at serious risk but their peers are being affected. Children who witness a classmate being escorted out of a room because they are high on illegal substances can become distressed. Worse still, there are cases of students being spiked and unknowingly vaping substances that they are unaware of. That serious child safeguarding issue must be addressed with urgency. Principals are also being forced to take extraordinary measures. Some have had to close certain toilet blocks and supervise others to prevent students from using those spaces to vape. That is simply not acceptable. Schools should not have to lock down essential facilities or stretch their already thin resources even further just to combat this issue. It highlights the severity of the problem and underscores the lack of support that schools are receiving. The Minister of Education and his Department must step up and acknowledge their responsibility here. Teachers and school staff need support, training and the resources necessary to address vaping in schools effectively. It is not an issue that can be left to individual schools to solve on their own. A comprehensive strategy is urgently needed. We must ensure that young people are provided with the correct, up-to-date information on the risks of vaping. It is crucial that children understand the risks not just to their health but to their education and future. We need a comprehensive plan that goes beyond just banning single-use vapes. We need a strategy that tackles the vaping crisis on all fronts through education, better support for school staff and a legislative process that works. Vaping is not just a school issue; it is a community issue, a health issue and an educational issue, and it requires a comprehensive, united response. Vaping in schools is a crisis, and we cannot afford to ignore it. Let us act now before more young people are harmed by this dangerous trend. The health, well-being and future of our children depend on it.

1,022 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Assessment

Not qualifying

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Assessed 21 October 2026 at 11:28 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.

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