The principal of an Ottawa high school is removing doors from the school’s washrooms in an attempt to crack down on student vaping.
E-cigarette use is growing in popularity among teenagers. The most recent data from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health shows that 11 per cent of Ontario students between Grade 7 and Grade 12 admit to vaping, while only seven per cent say they smoke tobacco cigarettes.
Melissa Teed, who works at Ottawa e-cigarette retailer Sir Vape A Lot, says she has heard about young vapers who have never tried tobacco cigarettes, but are fans of vapes' sweet flavour and high nicotine content.
“Young ones are going through one pod a day, so they’re basically vaping the equivalent of one pack of cigarettes a day,” she told CTV Ottawa.
Vaping is subject to the same restrictions in Ontario as cigarette use. Neither can be done within 20 metres of school property.
Nonetheless, school administrators say students are being caught vaping on school property.
Don Murphy, the principal at St. Joseph High School in Ottawa, says his school is no exception to the trend.
In a letter sent to parents this week, Murphy said St. Joseph would follow the lead of other schools in removing entrance doors to its washrooms “so that vaping can be detected more readily and washrooms can be entered quickly.” Doors on individual washroom stalls will remain in place.
Additionally, Ottawa bylaw officers are able to fine students $305 for vaping or holding an e-cigarette inside a school and $490 for selling an e-cigarette product or sharing it with an underage friend.
