Vaping:
www.gov.bc.ca/vaping
Government of BC vaping page with information about health impacts, laws, regulations, and links to additional resources.
www.considertheconsequences.ca
Health Canada's vaping information campaign Consider the Consequences is online, on social media and in person.
www.quitnow.ca
QuitNow is the provincial quit smoking service. It now is also offering support to British Columbians of all ages looking to quit or reduce vaping.
What you need to know about Vaping:
2019_Vaping_TipSheet.pdf
https://www.vsb.bc.ca/schools/...
Please see new informative video about the vaping phenomenon and youth:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFOpoKBUyok
Talking with Your Teen About Vaping - A Tip Sheet for Parents
HC Talking with Your Teen About Vaping - Dec 2018.pdf
Students are not permitted to use a vape device at Lord Byng school. All students have been informed that vaping is not permitted in the school, on the school property or while attending any Vancouver School Events – including but not limited to athletic events and any Field Trips – local, regional, national or international. Parents and Guardians, we ask that you discuss vaping with your student(s).
Any student caught vaping will be brought to the office and the device will be confiscated. The administration will call parents/guardians to pick-up the student, and if they wish to also claim the vaping paraphernalia. We will take an educational approach with all students (see below), and VSB Administrative Procedures regarding progressive discipline will apply. Students choosing to vape at school may be suspended; they may also be jeopardizing scholarship awards and permission to play on school athletic teams, to attend sporting events, and/or to participate in school related field trips.
Ted Holkstad, our Lord Byng School Age Children and Youth (SACY) worker is helping to educate our students about vaping. He’s asked that we share the following information:
REASONS WHY YOUTH VAPE
Perceived as safer alternative to smoking cigarettes or to (to quit smoking)
Curiosity, Experimentation, Social connection, Peer influence, Identity and/or
Reputation, Expressing
independence, Coping strategy
Concerns from Byng community and Staff:
Negative Health Impacts, Reinforces Smoking Culture, Addiction
Frequently asked question: Is It Safe? A Good Question, though, is it safer than what? Vaping is not harmless, and it is not safer than not vaping. Vaping is not a healthy choice for a non-smoker ...
Nicotine Risks:
Addiction is a real concern with nicotine, especially when entwined with social and emotional needs.
- Vaping is perceived as a subtler experience than cigarettes (i.e.: less odour, less smoke) while at the same time some devices are designed to deliver very high doses of nicotine
- High levels of nicotine can negatively impact anyone
Cannabis Use in Vape devices:
- Cannabis is a psychoactive substance and carries risk factors whether vaped or used in other forms
- During the years of adolescent development (brain development, social/emotional development, character development, habit development) psychoactive substances are better put off for the future.
Response from Byng Secondary:
Education and Health Promotion, as well as enforcement of school and VSB rules regarding the use of vaping devices at school-
- SACY Worker classroom visits for Grade 8 & 9s (I've already booked a number of
these)
- Information at Grade
assemblies
- Encourage healthy living
!!!
We support students interests in healthy activities !!!
Ted’s door is open and he’s here to help students with their decision making process
Vaping Related Resources:
- Information for parents and caregivers: Vaping 101 - a SACY resource which includes ideas for parents; comments regarding underlying issues; core knowledge on vaping.
- Talking with Your Teen About Vaping - A Health Canada information sheet designed to support parents speaking with their youth re vaping.
- Youth and Young Adult Vaping in Canada, ON Tobacco Research Unit - a 2018 study of 1049 youth and young adults across Canada to help understand what happens to young people, especially non-smokers, who start vaping. Sample findings:
- - 4 in 5 regular vapers frequently vape nicotine, and over 50% perceive themselves to be addicted to vaping
- Regular vapers are more likely to use other substances in the past 30 days than non-regular or never vapers.
Website: www.vsb.ca/sacy
