Warning for teen vaping after Sydney student collapses on toilet

A Blue Mountains student was hospitalized after a seizure due to vaping in school toilets, highlighting growing concern about the habit among young people.

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Nine reported that the Blue Mountains Grammar School administration wrote to parents to warn of the incident and ask them to talk to their children.

The school, in its newsletter, said that vaping had become a growing problem among students and was trying to educate them about the dangers.

“I am writing today to our entire community to highlight the extraordinary dangers of vaping and to urge parents to discuss them with their children,” the letter to parents reads.

“Last week, an otherwise perfectly healthy senior student collapsed in the toilets, suffered a prolonged seizure, and was taken to hospital by ambulance after using a vape. Medical evidence suggests a massive dose of nicotine caused the attack.

“While I am immensely grateful to say the student has recovered, the risk of head injury or hypoxia-induced brain damage is terrible to consider.”

Camera Icon Parents have been asked to talk to their children about the danger of vaping. Delivered. Credit: News Regional Media

In a recent newsletter, the school said e-cigarettes had become a problem for some students who used the toilets to vape.

It asked parents to talk to their children about how harmful it was to their health.

In another newsletter, high school principal Owen Laffin warned of “the serious threat vaping (electronic cigarettes) pose to our youth”.

“While we have been aware of this issue for some time and have taken steps to manage its impact within our school community, the degree of harm this behavior can cause our young people have become more apparent in recent days.”

The school has been contacted for comment.

NSW Health has seized more than $1 million worth of illegal nicotine vapes since January 2022.

Earlier this year, NSW launched a campaign to warn of the serious health effects of vaping, including nicotine addiction, and that they may contain harmful chemicals.

An NSW Population Health survey found that more than one in 10 people between the ages of 16 and 24 said they would vape in 2021 – double the previous year.

According to the survey, the number of daily smokers among residents aged 16 and older was 9.2 percent in 2020, falling to 8.2 percent in one year.

But the research supported growing concerns that young people were turning to e-cigarettes instead.

“This is a worrying trend for our young people, as vaping can contain many harmful chemicals and toxins, even if they are nicotine-free,” said NSW Health Chief Health Officer Dr. Kerry Chant.

Camera Icon Parents have been asked to talk to their children about the dangers of vaping. Tim Hunter. Credit: News Corp Australia

In 2019, the US Federal Drug Administration warned of reports of young people having seizures due to using e-cigarettes.

That same year, the FDA investigated 127 cases of people who had seizures after vaping, many young people.

The FDA said seizures and seizures were a side effect of nicotine toxicity.

Lori J. Kile
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