As students return to class, local health experts are sounding the alarm on rising vaping rates among teens.
Dr. Linna Li, Deputy Medical Officer of Health for the South East Health Unit, says vaping nicotine can quickly rewire young brains, impacting mood, focus and increasing anxiety.
A 2022 Statistics Canada survey revealed that 30 per cent of youth aged 15 to 19 have tried vaping.
Health promoter Rebecca Shams notes that while curiosity and flavours were once main drivers, many teens now turn to vaping to cope with stress and mental health concerns.
In a student survey issued last year, 60% of respondents at the Upper Canada District School Board said they were afraid to use school washrooms, with vaping a primary reason.
Public health officials are sharing resources with schools and parents, urging open conversations and support to help youth quit. Nicotine-specific tools like the Quash app and the Brief Conversations Toolkit are available at healthunit.org.
A live Zoom session is planned to discuss vaping risks and prevention strategies with families.
You can listen to the complete interview below.