Education Department data shows drop in suspensions for vaping in SA public schools

There’s been a major turnaround on one key statistic as schools continue to try to teach students - and their parents - the dangers of vaping.

Vaping has been labelled the biggest behavioural “menace” in schools around the country but latest figures show suspensions for using e-cigarettes have dropped dramatically in South Australia.

For the past two years more than 1000 students have been suspended from SA public schools annually for having, using or selling vapes - or at least 250 suspensions each term.

However, Education Department data for Term 1 this year shows teachers imposed just 162 suspensions.

If that decline continues there could be fewer than 650 suspensions this year.

Education Minister Blair Boyer welcomed the early indication that SA may be “bucking the trend nationally” but stressed he wanted to ramp up efforts to deter potential young vapers.

This could include graphic campaigns showing the health impacts of e-cigarettes, like those used to reduce tobacco smoking.

SA education minister Blair Boyer Picture: RoyVPhotography

Federal education minister Jason Clare. Picture: James Dowling

“We’ve still got an issue now where kids, and even in some cases their parents, think that vaping is harmless,” Mr Boyer told The Advertiser.

“I remember those ads that worked so well around tobacco smoking, explaining to kids what it did to your lungs ... (including) the one with the tar coming out of the sponge.

“I’m very much on the hunt for a student who has had a bad time with vaping on their health to work with us to produce some social media content to push out in schools.

“A young person who has vaped and been harmed by it, talking honestly about what it did to them, is far more powerful than a politician talking about it.”

SA health and education authorities currently run the “Do you know what you are vaping?” campaign highlighting the toxic ingredients found in vaping liquids.

Discussion of e-cigarettes was also added to SA’s health and physical education curriculum in 2022 and the state government has committed $50m to installing wellbeing workers in schools.

Despite changes to the law, vaporisers remain common in Australia.

Federal Education Minister Jason Clare said vaping was “the biggest behavioural issue” raised with him by school principals, who reported some students were scared to use the toilets for fear of inhaling toxic chemicals.

“It’s a menace in our schools,” Mr Clare said, adding that principals were resorting to installing costly vape detection and alarm systems in a bid to stamp out the practice.

Mr Clare said federal government analysis indicated 90 per cent of shops selling vapes were within walking distance of schools, suggesting “this is an industry that is clearly targeting our kids”.

Australian Medical Association NSW president Dr Michael Bonning said authorities “were asleep at the wheel about vapes for a long period of time”.

“Because of that, we’ve allowed a market and a dependence among some young people to become established,” he said.

Australian Secondary Principals Association president Andy Mison said school leaders needed more integrated support from health services to help deal with the addiction dilemma.

“We really do need to get serious about bringing in other services around our schools, for example health and community services,” he said.

“Schools can’t keep doing everything alone.”

Originally published as Education Department data shows drop in suspensions for vaping in SA public schools