‘We have to do something now’: The push to stamp out vaping to prevent ‘massive health crisis’

Two students from Whitefriars College in Donvale have been hospitalised after suffering severe symptoms from vaping on school premises on Friday.

It prompted Tom Elliott to speak to the President of the Australian College of General Practitioners, Dr Nicole Higgins, on what can be done to prevent this happening again.

“If we don’t do something now, we’re going to have this massive health crisis in the future,” Dr Higgins claimed.

Press PLAY to hear her push to stamp out vaping 

Whitefriars College released the following statement on Saturday morning:

Dear members of the Whitefriars College family,

I write to you regarding an incident which occurred at the college yesterday.

Two of our students presented with very severe symptoms following the use of a vaping product. Both students were provided with first aid by our Health Care Centre team and other college staff. They were also assessed and transported to hospital by paramedics from Ambulance Victoria.

Fortunately, both students have since recovered and have been discharged from hospital.

The college is investigating, and the matter has also been reported to Victoria Police.

The use of vapes or other similar products is a major health issue in our community. Statistics suggest that one in three teenagers has engaged in vaping. Vapes or e-cigarettes produce a number of dangerous chemicals which health experts suggest can cause a range of health issues including lung, heart and other major organ damage.

At Whitefriars we have developed a range of preventative and educational measures to address this issue with our students. These include a vaping module delivered through the Wellbeing Program, clear and informed communication through House Assemblies and a significant punitive response when students breach college policy in relation to vaping including further education about the harm which results from this dangerous behaviour. The college has also installed environmental sensors in our student amenities to further protect our community.

We ensure that our young men have a clear understanding of the law in Victoria as it relates to vaping.

In Victoria it is illegal for any person aged 18 or over to obtain, possess or use nicotine e-cigarettes, or e-cigarette cartridges containing nicotine, or nicotine liquids for use in a vaporiser, without a prescription. It is illegal to sell e-cigarettes to, or buy e-cigarettes for, any person aged under 18 years whether or not the e-cigarettes contain nicotine. Whilst it is not unlawful for a person to possess or use e-cigarettes that do not contain nicotine, it is unlawful to use them on school premises or within four metres of a school entrance.

As a school community we need to continue to work in partnership to educate our young men and we encourage all families to engage in conversations with their son about the dangers of the use of these types of products and to keep them safe.

If you have any queries or concerns regarding this matter, please direct them to myself or the Deputy Principal – Students Mick Lafferty, or your son’s House Leader on Monday.

We thank you for your support of the college.

Yours sincerely

Mark Murphy
Principal

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