Vaping: Primary school children caught with vapes, says head

The UK government announced it will ban disposable vapes to tackle the rise of underage use

Children in primary schools are being caught with vapes, a head teacher has said.

Richard Owen from Idris Davies School in Rhymney, Caerphilly, warned punishment was not enough to tackle the issue, with some users taking up to 15 toilet breaks a day to vape.

Mr Owen told Caerphilly councillors the popularity of vaping had "grown considerably" in schools.

The UK and Welsh governments announced they will ban disposable vapes.

At a Caerphilly council education scrutiny committee on Tuesday, Mr Owen said vapes were "much easier" for pupils to buy than cigarettes, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

He said there had been a "substantial increase" in the number of children vaping in breaks, and during times when pupils should be in lessons.

The school was forced to install "vape alarms" in bathrooms, with some pupils reportedly taking up to 15 "toilet breaks" a day to vape.

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He said it is causing disruption to learning and an increase in antisocial behaviour in the toilets.

Mr Owen added that while vape use is more common among older pupils, it is "now starting to creep down into Key Stage Two", which covers children aged seven to 11.

It is illegal for under-18s to use or buy electronic cigarettes in the UK.

Despite this, the Welsh government's Deputy Minster for Mental Health Lynne Neagle said the number of children using vapes has "tripled in the past three years".

Current NHS advice notes vaping is "substantially less harmful" than cigarettes.

However it also says vaping is not "completely harmless" and "only recommend it for adult smokers, to support quitting smoking".

Mr Owen said punishing those who were caught with vapes was unlikely to change their behaviour.

He explained that his school tries to educate pupils who are often misinformed about the risks of vaping.