Craigavon Senior High School: Two pupils receive treatment after vaping incidents

Craigavon Senior High School has about 600 students across two sites in Portadown and Lurgan

A school has written to parents after two of its pupils received medical treatment having inhaled a suspected unregulated substance via e-cigarettes.

In separate incidents on Wednesday and Thursday, ambulances were called out to the Portadown campus of Craigavon Senior High School.

Police confirmed their inquiries were ongoing.

In the letter sent on Friday, the school referred to "recent incidents involving student vaping devices".

On Wednesday, one ambulance was sent to the school after Northern Ireland Ambulance Service received an emergency call at 10:30 BST.

After initial treatment at the scene, a male pupil was taken by ambulance to Craigavon Area Hospital, and has since been released.

On Thursday, the ambulance service received a call shortly before 11:00 about another incident involving a male pupil, and an ambulance was sent to the school.

He was treated at the scene, and not taken to hospital, said an ambulance service spokesman.

'Unregulated substances'

The PSNI said both incidents involved the pupils having an "adverse reaction after inhaling a substance from a vape-type device".

On Thursday the school went into a "stay-put procedure", which involves students and staff remaining their classrooms while the incident is being dealt with.

In a letter to parents, principal Ruth Harkness cited advice from the Public Health Agency (PHA) that it was "important that everyone understands the dangers of vaping unregulated substances".

"The PHA highlights information about young people becoming ill after vaping spice. Reports suggest that those affected thought they were purchasing THC or cannabis oil," the letter said.

"However they were unknowingly supplied with and had taken the synthetic drug spice, the effects of which required hospital treatment."

The Education Authority said it was providing support to the school's principal and senior leadership team.

The PSNI's Sgt Brian Hull said it was illegal to sell vape devices to anyone younger than 18.

People should "only use liquids obtained from reputable sellers and not to purchase liquids which could be harmful to their health", he said.

Neighbourhood Policing Team officers had visited schools to warn of dangers involving vaping substances which do not come from reputable sources, he added.