Vaping crackdown at Melbourne’s top schools

Students as young as 12 are puffing e-cigarettes between classes at some of Melbourne’s top schools — with Xavier and Trinity already suspending students for the act.

Trinity Grammar has suspended some students for vaping at school Picture: Jake Nowakowski

Leading schools are conducting bathroom patrols and bag checks to flush out students as young as 12 vaping between classes.

Several students caught smoking e-cigarettes on school grounds have been suspended, amid concerns about the emerging “craze”.

Top private and public schools across Melbourne’s leafy eastern suburbs are checking bathrooms, doing bag checks and closely monitoring formal dances and other school events. Senior students are dobbing in students from other year levels, while random checks are being conducted at off-campus sports events and parents are being called in for urgent meetings.

Both Xavier College and Trinity Grammar have suspended students for vaping at school, while Canterbury Girls’ Secondary College has counselled a number of girls for vaping on school grounds.

Carey Baptist Grammar in Kew was among the named schools.

Other schools forced to address the issue include Carey Grammar, Melbourne Girls’ College, MLC, Ruyton and Camberwell Grammar.

At Camberwell Grammar boys were sent a “hit list” with names of those believed to be vaping at school, and told they were being closely watched.

The schools declined to comment to the Herald Sun.

Although selling e-cigarettes to children is illegal, producers actively market their products to younger users, who are attracted to flavours such as Tuck Shop Apple Sours, Candy King and Buttercream.

Research from the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre at the University of New South Wales suggests while smoking levels among young people are low, “vaping may introduce a new generation to nicotine use” and “little is known about the smoking and vaping characteristics of young adults over time”.

Vaping is the use of an e-cigarette. Picture: Stock

Data from the National Drug Strategy Household survey shows 14 per cent of nonsmokerssmokers aged 18-24 admit to vaping.

An education department spokeswoman said “smoking and vaping is banned in all educational facilities in Victoria including schools, and is banned within 4m of any entrance”.

“Schools are legally required to display ‘No Smoking’ signs at all entrances,” she said.

Schools such as Scotch College, Xavier College, Bialik College and Plenty Valley Christian College ban vaping along with smoking.