School boards have been asking for help dealing with vaping on school property, says a public health supervisor.
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“We saw (vaping) increase everywhere across the province over the pandemic and there’s a need to help schools to deal with this issue,” said Donna Schmidtmeyer.
“Because, of course, there’s no smoking, no vaping on school property, and because they’re under the age of 19, the product shouldn’t be sold to youth in the first place.”
Equipping parents, caregivers, coaches and educators with the knowledge to talk to youth about the effects of nicotine, cannabis and alcohol is a key aspect of the Lambton health unit’s Talk Early, Talk Often workshops, she said.
“There’s still an impact on the individual, on the child, on the developing brain, on the mental health side, through the use of these products,” she said.
“And it’s necessary to bring attention to these products and provide support to people who are interacting with youth … they need some supports in having these conversations.”
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Steve Keller, of Drug Free Kids Canada, is speaking at public health workshops in September in Sarnia and Forest about how young people use cannabis, alcohol and nicotine as coping mechanisms, their effects, and giving people tools to help discuss substance use with youth, public health officials said in a news release.
“We’re very, very excited to have him come to the community and to have him share his experiences and insight,” Schmidtmeyer said.
Similar well-attended talks have been held in the community before, but not since the COVID-19 pandemic, she said.
Public health also has been working with school boards in other ways in the interim, she said, including speaking with, warning or even charging, under the Smoke Free Ontario Act, youth caught vaping on school property, she said.
It’s a progressive system with warnings before charges, she said.
“Of course, we don’t want to see youth being charged,” she said “We would rather they were complying and not vaping on school property.”
Various community organizations with youth-support programming will also be in attendance at the free, 6 pm talks, officials said.
Sarnia’s, Sept. 24, is at the Sarnia Library Theatre. One at the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 176 in Forest is Sept. 26.
Doors open for both at 5:30 pm, and people are asked to register at lambtonpublichealth.ca/community.
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