Teenagers campaign for vape detectors in schools

Recent council figures suggest about one in three children aged 13 to 15 have tried vaping in North Yorkshire

A youth group in North Yorkshire is campaigning for vape detectors to be installed in schools, amid a rise in underage vaping.

Recent North Yorkshire Council figures suggest about one in three local children aged 13 to 15 had tried vaping, with 18 the legal age for buying vapes in the UK.

Members of Skipton Youth Council, a council-backed community organisation for young people, want to stop the harm vapes can cause to their friends’ health.

They hoped to raise about £6,000 to install 30 vape detectors at schools and colleges in their local area.

James Neill, youth council chair, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that unlike cigarettes, many young people do not realise the health risks involved.

Although vapes, which contain chemicals including nicotine, are believed to be less harmful than smoking, doctors say vaping may cause long-term damage to young people's lungs, hearts and brains.

"Many people think it’s like a sweet with 2,000 flavours, or it’s a cool thing you can do, there’s a lot of peer pressure," he said.

Their useage increased dramatically during his time in education, he said, with some fellow pupils vaping in toilets or while walking to and from school.

Some secondary schools have installed devices to monitor vape usage

Nationally, some secondary schools have installed devices in toilets which pick up chemicals present in vape mist.

If pupils vape, the alarms go off immediately and a text message alerts staff.

James described vape alarms as an effective way of deterring usage inside school.

"They’re a bit like a smoke alarm but are more sophisticated," he said.

The youth council's campaign also included working with trading standards, writing newsletters to parents, petitioning the government and raising awareness within schools.

James concluded: "I’ve never seen someone smoke cigarettes at school, it’s much more about vaping."

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