Teens caught using and dealing vaping products at Victorian schools

Melbourne teens are blatantly using and dealing vaping products in the schoolyard, with teachers labelling the craze “out of control”.

Teens as young as 13 are brazenly using and dealing vaping products in the schoolyard.

Teachers have labelled the dangerous vaping craze sweeping Victoria’s schools as “out of control”.

The Herald Sun has ­uncovered dozens of online posts in which students from schools across the state brag about vaping in toilets, classrooms and on school camps.

Teachers say the problem has reached ­“boiling point”.

It comes after the Herald Sun last month revealed elite schools were conducting bathroom patrols and bag checks to flush out students as young as 12 vaping between classes.

In one shocking TikTok post, a female student from Melbourne’s north wrote: “After you vape in the ­bathrooms and walk out like nothing happened with that head spin.”

Another posted: “Every private school kid in Melbourne using them socially.”

The Herald Sun found black-market sellers using ­social media platforms to sell vaping products in fruit flavours to appeal to teens.

Students are bragging online about vaping in Melbourne schoolyards.

One seller on TikTok, who was selling products containing a nicotine warning label wrote: “Got all of these in bulk, packs of 10 for $110”, with dozens of young teens responding with their location, begging the seller to select them.

It is illegal under state law for anyone to sell or supply nicotine-containing e-cigarettes, but individuals are able to import up to three months’ supply for their personal use.

A teacher from Melbourne’s north said the craze was “out of control”.

“Students as young as 13 are vaping in the toilets and at the back of the oval,” he said.

“As teachers we can only do so much. I think there needs to be more education around the dangers of it.”

Another teacher with more than 20 years’ ­experience said students were blatantly dealing vaping ­products on school grounds.

“The problem has reached boiling point, it’s a stupid and dangerous trend that won’t go away, unfortunately,” he said.

“The real concern is that they’re using and dealing the products in the schoolyard. There have been several ­instances where students have been suspended or faced more severe consequences for this — it’s not worth it.”

Black market sellers are using social media platforms to sell vaping products in fruit flavours to appeal to young teens.

Geelong’s St Joseph’s College principal Tony Paatsch confirmed students had reported they were concerned about their peers’ vaping. “We think there’s been a bit of an increase in the number of young people in this school community who are experimenting with vaping,” he said.

In Lalor North Secondary College’s latest newsletter, principal Vicki Watson ­described vaping as a “dangerous and unhealthy trend”.

Quit Victoria director Sarah White said student use of e-cigarettes was a “huge concern”.

“E-cigarettes are not harmless — users are repeatedly ­inhaling aerosols, containing an unknown mix of chemicals, deep into the lung,” she said. The Education Department was contacted for comment.