What is the Welsh Government doing to support schools tackling vaping in the student population?
The four UK nations are currently consulting on proposals to restrict vapes, including regulating vape flavours, packaging and point of sale displays, in addition to measures to create a smoke-free generation. The consultation is due to close on 6 December 2023 and we will consider our next steps after the responses have been analysed.
In light of rising concerns about the use of vapes among children and young people and the impact this is having on schools, the Welsh Government asked Public Health Wales to develop guidance for secondary age learners, which was published in September.
The overall aim of the guidance is to help learners understand the impact of vaping on their health and well-being, to provide evidence-based information for teachers and school staff that they can use to respond and help address vaping in their setting. The guidance also provides information on ways schools can embed teaching and learning on vaping into the new curriculum.
The JustB Smokefree programme targets secondary school pupils in the areas in Wales with highest smoking prevalence. It equips young people with the knowledge, skills, and motivation to comfortably discuss the risks of smoking and vaping and the benefits of being smoke free among their peers, prior to the age of typical smoking initiation.