Security cameras installed in Hastings schools to stop students vaping

This comes after NSW Health said there has been an increase in the number of young people vaping over the past 18 months.

St Joseph's Regional College has recently installed CCTV as a measure to keep students safe while at school.

Diocese of Lismore Catholic Schools Regional Service Leader for Hastings Stephen Pares said the security measure is already in use in a number of Catholic schools across the Hastings.

"The CCTV part of it is a more broader way to ensure the safety of students at school," he said.

"Each of the schools have some varying systems in place. Newman College has had CCTV for a fair while and so have other schools, it's not just St Joseph's Regional.

"They're not systems designed to monitor as such, but in the event of an incident they might be used to get an understanding of what might have happened or who might have been involved."

Mr Pares said the number of students vaping has increased over the past 18 months and is a widespread issue in high schools.

"It's not just an issue that's just related to one school or one group of schools," he said.

"Across all of the schools we have noticed, in the secondary context in particular, vaping is becoming more prevalent."

Mr Pares said Hastings Catholic schools have taken a number of steps to help reduce the number of young people vaping.

"In the first instance it's trying to help parents understand what the issue is. The schools have written to families in different forms, including newsletters and specific letters, to indicate to families the concerns that the schools have," he said.

There have also been organised information sessions for families.

"At the same time schools are also embedding that learning for students both in classes and in information sessions to get them to understand the risks."

Director of Educational Leadership for the Hastings Principals Network Andrew Kuchling said public schools are also working within school communities to combat vaping.

"Public high schools in our area are working to address vaping in the ways which best suits each school," he said.

"Some of the approaches include monitoring places where students are known to vape, emphasising anti-vaping education and working with police to stop the sale of vapes to students."

The NSW Department of Education is working to address vaping in public schools in a number of ways, including:

NSW Health states that the main ingredient in vapes is propylene glycol, vegetable glycerine or glycerol.

They can contain the same harmful chemicals found in cleaning products, nail polish remover, weed killer and bug spray.

Vapes come in a number of flavours such as blueberry or bubble-gum that make them appealing.

Many vapes also contain nicotine, the same highly addictive substance found in tobacco cigarettes.

Testing has shown that vapes labelled 'nicotine-free' can have high nicotine levels. People can think they are using nicotine-free vapes and can unknowingly quickly develop a nicotine addiction.

"I think families are in a situation where they don't really know the risks and rules associated with the use of e-cigarettes or vaping," Mr Pares said.

"Students, in particular, viewed [vaping] as being a harmless thing which now we've come to realise that it's not.

"It's a worry because we're coming to understand how risky it can be and obviously students' health and well-being is absolutely number one."

The Department of Education has been contacted for comment.

BEFORE YOU GO:

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: