The following article was shared by Life Education Trust following their visit to our school.
Do our youth think Vaping is Cool?
We recently met an amazing bunch of Rangitahi at Christchurch South Karamata Intermediate School. We were wrapped to learn that they think you are never too old to have fun making giraffe signs when we visited to discuss some heavy hitting issues around substance use. The mix of students aged 11-13 years old were curious to learn more about the ingredients and possible dangers of vaping. Many were shocked to learn about the chemicals they could be exposed to such as Toulene, Formaldehyde and Acetone. And most were unaware that vape juice flavours like grape and bubblegum often still contain some level of Nicotine. Research undertaken by the National Institute for Drug Abuse warns that:
– ππππππ ππ₯πππ ππ π‘βπ ππ’πππ π‘π π π£πππππ‘π¦ ππ πβπππππππ ππ’ππππ π‘βπ βπππ‘πππ/π£ππππππ§πππ ππππππ π . and
– ππππππ πππ ππππ π‘π πππππ‘πππ ππππππ‘πππ πππ πππππππ ππ πππ π πππ ππππππ‘πππ π‘π ππ‘βππ πππ’ππ .
Possibly the most shocking statistic however coming out of our very own backyard is that ‘For every smoker who quits by using vaping, 80 teens will become addicted to vaping’ (Asthma and Respiratory Foundation NZ). So how can we help our kids make good decisions when it comes to vaping? We believe that education is at the very frontline of this battle. Our passionate educators are arming themselves with up-to-date research as it comes to hand. Presenting our vaping workshops is all about making sure that the information is relevant and delivered in a way that provokes questions and discussions. Students develop an understanding that by expanding their knowledge they can make informed choices. We also recognise the power of peer pressure and provide a variety of tools for students to use when put in peer difficult situations – such as being offered a vape. We allow for lots of group discussion and interaction making the sessions engaging and interesting. In the words of one 12-year-old who we think nailed it, “don’t even risk trying it cos you might just get hooked and really what’s the point”. So we encourage you to ask your teen or tween what they think is cool these days and if you have concerns about a young person who might be vaping reach out we would love to hear from you.
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