Young teens taking part in dangerous online vaping challenges

Social media challenges are fuelling the dangerous vaping craze among young teens, with some admitting they are addicted.

Young teens are taking part in dangerous vaping TikTok challenges as schools battle to stamp out the illegal craze.

It comes after the Herald Sun last month revealed children as young as 12 were buying black market vaping products because of a legal loophole.

The TikTok challenges, which include #VapeChallenge, #VapeTricks and #VapeGhost, which shows teens using vape smoke to make “ghosts”, smoke rings and other shapes, have racked up hundreds of millions of views.

In one shocking video, a teenage girl holds her breath for several seconds with vape smoke in her mouth before she blows it out through a bubblegum balloon.

TikTok challenges are encouraging teens to make shapes with vape smoke have millions of views.

In other videos seen by the Herald Sun, Victorian teens dressed in school uniforms admit to “vape addictions”, with videos showing where to buy the products online.

Trending search terms on the app also showed teens had searched for “vape store in Melbourne no ID” and “vape shop Melbourne Australia”.

A teacher from Melbourne’s southeast said he was aware of the vaping social media challenges being filmed in the schoolyard.

“I have seen these challenges being filmed at recess and lunch and it’s very disappointing as they are risking their health to look cool,” he said.

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

In a bid to stamp out the illegal trend, Quit Victoria and its partners, including the Royal Children’s Hospital, have released new resource guides for schools and families, including a “mythbusting” sheet that addresses the challenges on TikTok and lists the serious health risks of vaping.

School students are using legal loopholes to buy vaping products. Picture: Alex Coppel

New focus testing research commissioned by Cancer Council Victoria, which analysed how teens aged 15-17 responded to the resource guides, found it was “relatively easy” for teens to buy black market vaping devices and ­liquids without having to go to regular retail outlets.

The teens also reported vaping was “cool” among their peers and users enjoyed a “head spin” from the nicotine.

Quit Victoria director Sarah White said the guides were developed after the organisation received dozens of complaints from schools and families about the vaping craze.

“Vaping is on the edge of being out of control, we need urgent action to crack down on retailers that are selling ­nicotine-containing e-cigarettes to kids,” she said.

Dr White said vaping was known to cause local irritation and respiratory tract damage due to an accumulation of exposure to chemicals including nicotine, which can cause long-term effects to the cardiovascular system.

An Education Department spokesman said smoking and vaping was banned in all educational facilities in Victoria, including schools and within 4m of any entrance.

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

A TikTok spokesperson said: “We are committed to the safety and wellbeing of our TikTok community, and we strictly prohibit content that depicts or promotes the possession or consumption of tobacco and drugs by minors.”

“We do not allow ads for vaping products and we will remove accounts that are identified as being dedicated to selling vaping products.”

quit.org.au/teenvaping