Dr Kelly Burrowes tells Science Digest what early research has revealed about the unexpected chemicals found inside vaping liquid (first published in 2022). Video / NZ Herald
Vaping in schools is causing such a problem for young students, a Northland youth counselling and support service has developed its own programme teaching the dangers of nicotine and addiction.
Rubicon Youth is now offering the eight-week programme to any Northland school interested in empowering their younger students.
Rubicon clinical services manager Belinda Brophy said the anti-vaping programme was developed last year by clinician Jerome van der Pol and a teacher.
“We got some calls from schools saying that young people were being excluded from school because of vaping - students as young as 11,” Brophy said.
As well as vaping having a big impact on some students’ education prospects, she added, other schools wanted a programme to help prevent problems developing.
According to Ministry of Education data, just under 200 Northland primary school students were stood down for vaping last year, nearly twice as many as in secondary school, with the trend of younger vapers being punished reflected nationwide.
Rubicon Youth usually works one-on-one with young people who have problems with alcohol or other drugs, helping them with mentoring and counselling so they can address their addiction and stay in school.
It covers the Whangārei and Kaipara districts, and the top of the Far North.
Its young clients are also starting to recognise the addictiveness of nicotine and how hard it is to give up vaping, said van der Pol, who is a practitioner in addressing alcohol and other drugs and co-existing problems.
Vapes attract young people due to vapour clouds, exciting flavours and the headrush from the nicotine, he said.
Rubicon’s new programme is designed to fit in with schools’ health curriculum for intermediate aged-students and Year 9s.
Rubicon clinical services manager Belinda Brophy and clinician Jerome van der Pol are proud of their programme to tackle vaping in schools. Photo / Michael Cunningham
The aim is to educate young students before they start being tempted by vapes.
“I think it’s really important to emphasise that nicotine is a mind-altering substance which affects the emotional part of the brain - the prefrontal cortex, which is the learning and decision-making part of the brain,” van der Pol said.
“The longer a child’s brain can not be exposed to any substance, the better for them [with regard to] their growth and learning.”
The programme was first trialled at Mangakahia Area School and is being run this term for Year 7 and 8 students at Manaia View School.
Brophy said any other schools interested in the programme should get in touch.
“We don’t believe anybody else would be delivering an eight-week programme [on vaping] in schools in Te Tai Tokerau.”
Denise Piper is a news reporter for the Northern Advocate, focusing on health and business. She has more than 20 years in journalism and is passionate about covering stories that make a difference.
