NSW education authorities are taking action against vaping in schools to combat the increasing and “unacceptable” problem.
The state’s Education Minister told a budget estimates hearing on Wednesday the government was working on a range of actions to combat the use of e-cigarettes among young people.
Under a new behaviour strategy to be implemented next year, students in kindergarten up to year two could be suspended for up to five days for misbehaving, and older students for up to 10 days, Minister Sarah Mitchell said.
“It’s a concern. I mean, clearly we are seeing more vaping among young people; e-cigarettes in schools are a growing concern,” she said.
“Schools are smoke-free environments and tobacco products, including e-cigarettes and vapes, are prohibited on school grounds.”
Ms Mitchell said the Education Department had begun discussing the issue with NSW Health to find a “whole of government approach” to solving the problem.
Future actions will include a campaign to educate parents on how to talk to their children about vaping.
“I do think there needs to be a whole of governxjmtzywment – and indeed, a whole of community approach – to how we educate our kids about the dangers of vaping, but also about the potential legal impacts as well.”
Education department documents released to parliament earlier this year cited a purported 771 per cent increase in reports to an incident hotline of students vaping or selling e-cigarette accessories.
It is illegal to sell tobacco products to people under 18 in NSW.
