Reinforce the law to students that it is illegal to sell or give a vaping product to someone under 18, and that it is prohibited to vape on school property or grounds 24/7.

Ensure the students are aware of your school’s policy, rules and procedures regarding tobacco, alcohol and other drugs.

In New Zealand vaping is only recommended as a way to quit smoking, and is not for young people. Vaping is not harmless. Educate students on vaping just as you would with other programmes that focus on reducing harm from the use tobacco, alcohol or drugs.

Discuss how what we don’t know, is as important as what we do. Vaping contains chemicals and flavours whose long-term effects are unknown. Breathing in anything can have side effects. Learn the side-effects of vaping.

Discuss how vaping contains nicotine which can have some negative effects on brain development in adolescents. Nicotine is highly addictive which, although it helps to quit smoking as it replaces the nicotine with less of the toxins in cigarette smoke; it is not harmless if you don’t smoke. Learn about nicotine and vaping.

Conversations that empower students to come to their own conclusions help students feel respected and in control. Research together, ask questions and listen to their answers.

Tūturu is a whole-of-school approach to student wellbeing that prepares students for a world where alcohol and other drugs exist. It is evidence-based, and uses approaches that improve wellbeing, develop critical thinking, and reduce harms from alcohol and other drugs. Learn more about Tūturu at www.tuturu.org.nz.

Let's Clear The Air provides information on youth vaping and ways to support the vapefree and smokefree kaupapa in schools.

Use these teaching resources and activities for vaping education at junior and senior secondary school levels.

Tūturu have a range of health resources, which includes a teaching resource on thinking critically about vaping.

Provide support for students who are wanting to quit vaping or smoking. Students can get advice from a health professional, such as a doctor or public health nurse. Quitline offers support for people of all ages to stop vaping and smoking.

Youth vaping has become increasingly prevalent in recent years. Data from the ASH Year 10 survey showed that youth vaping rose rapidly between 2019 and 2022, with daily vaping reaching a peak of around 10% in 2022.

Results from the 2024 ASH Year 10 Snapshot survey found that 8.7% of 14 to 15 year olds reported vaping every day, down from 10% in 2023.

Regular vaping for Year 10s peaked in 2021 (20.2%) and has been steadily declining since then, to 14.1% in 2024. There are differences by ethnicity for regular vaping as follows: Māori (29.4%), Pacific (19.2%), European/Pākehā (11.2%) and Asian (3.8%). Ever tried vaping showed a statistically significant decrease (37.5% in 2023 to 34.7% in 2024) for the third consecutive year.

Daily vaping among those who have never smoked showed a statistically significant decrease, with rates at 3.7% in 2024, down from 4.6% in 2023.

According to the New Zealand Health Survey, for 15-17 year olds, daily vaping prevalence increased to 15.4% in 2022/2023. Rates declined to 10.5% in 2023/24 but this decline was not statistically significant.