By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
Woodend School student leaders Ruby Hales (12, back left), Cara Townsend (12) and RJ Moana (12), Lachlan Brown (12, front left), Jasper Rosewarne (12) and Shaedyn Lang (12) are concerned about other young people are becoming addicted to vaping. Photo: Local Democracy Reporting / David Hill
Woodend School pupils are taking action to stop young people becoming addicted to vaping.
Student leader Jasper Rosewarne, 12, launched a petition after a vape store, Hukka Woodend, opened across the road from the school recently.
''When I heard that there was a vaping store opening across the road from our school, I didn't like it because I don't want young people exposed to vapes,'' he said.
The student leaders reached out to Jasper's father, Labour List MP Dan Rosewarne, and Waimakariri MP Matt Doocey for advice.
They planned to present the petition to Waimakariri Mayor Dan Gordon and were calling on the vape store owner to take measures to protect young people in the community.
The students suggested closing the store when children were going to and from school, no signage on School Road facing the school, having merchandise locked away where young people could not see it and no seating outside where young people could loiter.
The store's advertised opening hours were 10am to 7pm.
The sale and supply of vape products has an age restriction of 18 years, but local schools said large numbers of their students had been exposed to it.
Earlier this month, Waimakariri District Council expressed concern at the lack of regulations around vaping and the lack of enforcement of the age restriction.
Rosewarne said he had visited the store and had attempted to arrange a meeting with the store owner, but had yet to receive a response.
Doocey said the community did not want a vape store near the school, but felt powerless to stop it.
He called for legislation restricting the number of vape stores and where they could be located.
Rangiora High School principal Bruce Kearney said vaping was a bigger problem for schools than ''smoking ever was''.
Smokers were easy to spot as there would be smoke and you could smell it on their breath.
''But with vaping it is almost impossible to catch people, and some of the vapes look like a highlighter," Kearney said.
Vaping was creating anti-social behaviour, as pupils congregated around toilets and prevented others from entering.
Given the age restriction, Kearney questioned how his pupils were getting hold of vape products.
''I have no idea how they get it, but someone is breaking the law.''
But he noted when pupils did get caught with vape ''90 percent of the time the parents are fully aware of their vaping habits''.
Kaiapoi High School principal Jason Reid said while vaping was less harmful than tobacco, there were too many unknowns when it came to the long-term effects.
''The teenage brain is highly malleable, it is still developing and nicotine, like any psychoactive substance, can have significant negative effects on this process.''
He called for regulations to make vapes ''flavour-free'' and as a prescription-only medication to help people give up smoking.
Rangiora New Life School principal Stephen Walters said his school was working with parents of pupils who had become addicted to vaping.
''As a chemistry teacher with a knowledge of chemicals and their effects, I have very real concerns about the chemicals that growing young lungs are being exposed to.''
A spokesperson for Hukka Woodend said the store had strict policy where no-one under 18 was allowed to enter the store, even with a parent or guardian.
There was no signage on School Road, but there were signs facing Main North Road and there was no seating outside the store.
Hukka Woodend did not promote any of its products, as guided by the Vaping Regulatory Authority, the spokesperson said.
Local Democracy Reporting is Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ On Air