London health officials are warning of a troubling rise in teen vaping and are preparing a parent-focused education campaign to help families address nicotine addiction.
Parents often struggle to spot the habit. Devices can resemble USB sticks or lip gloss and are designed to be hidden. “That’s why it’s so important for parents to talk to their kids,” said Linda Stobo, health unit’s manager of social marketing and health-systems partnerships.
Youth vaping rates have climbed steadily since the federal Tobacco and Vaping Products Act legalized the products in 2018.
“Twenty-five per cent of Ontario students in Grades 7 to 12 report ever using a vape, and 27 per cent of Grade 12 students are vaping,” Stobo said.
“These vaping products are not a benign substance. They contain many harmful chemicals that are not meant to be inhaled into the lungs,” she added.
Nicotine’s effect on developing brains is concerning.
“It interferes with judgment, impacts memory and concentration, and can contribute to poor performance in schools,” Stobo said.
Brandon Tingley, who leads tobacco enforcement at the health unit, said schools continue to report more vaping incidents and his team focuses on compliance rather than punishment.
“Before the Smoke-Free Ontario Act was amended in 2018, we had four vapour product retailers. Now we have close to 300,” Tingley said.
The health unit’s next move is a broad public-education and social-marketing campaign aimed at parents, set to launch in the coming weeks.
“Most people who are vaping, especially those who vape for many years, don’t want to vape. It is an addiction,” Stobo said. “It takes a comprehensive approach with enforcement, education, awareness and cessation services to address the issue of vaping,” she added.
