The ‘very serious’ impact vaping is having on teens and children

Some schools in Victoria are installing hi-tech sensors to stop students from vaping, amid a concerning rise in the number of young people picking up the dangerous habit.

Paediatrician at the Royal Children’s Hospital, Dr Anthea Rhodes, says the surge in vaping among children and teenagers was “really starting to kick off just before COVID”.

“Children as young as primary school aged are vaping at school and presumably potentially at home at times as well,” she told Tony Jones, filling in for Neil Mitchell.

Dr Rhodes warned vaping can have “very serious” effects, and the risks are even greater for young people.

“There’s a condition called EVALI — which stands for e-cigarette and vaping associated lung injury — and this has now been responsible for dozens of deaths worldwide and many, many more hospitalisations,” she said.

“The vape liquid contains a whole heap of different additives, toxins, chemicals, that are then heated … into a vapour and they’re inhaled. This sort of stuff is not safe for lungs.

“Nicotine doses — which can be really, really high in these products — can be really toxic to the developing brain of young people.”

Concerningly, many vaping products are marketed to appeal to young people.

Dr Rhodes is calling on the federal government to regulate the marketing, packaging and cost of tobacco-free vaping products.

Press PLAY below to hear more about the concerning uptake of vaping