Schools across England are being forced to take drastic and costly measures, from cutting down hedges to installing expensive detection systems, in a bid to combat a pervasive vaping epidemic among pupils. Head teachers report spending thousands from already-stretched budgets to police the habit, which they describe as a significant disruption to education and a public health emergency.
Grounds Altered and Budgets Strained in Enforcement Battle
In a visible sign of the struggle, some schools have altered their physical environments. They are cutting down hedges and moving bike shelters to eliminate hidden spots where students sneak away to vape. Beyond landscaping, schools are investing in technological solutions. A BBC-commissioned survey found nearly a fifth of secondary teachers report the installation of specialised vape detectors.
These devices, which sense chemicals in vape mist and trigger alarms, come at a high cost. Lisa McCall, head teacher at Wales High School in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, revealed her school spent £3,000 on three detectors following a serious incident. "That £3,000 could have gone towards IT equipment or even a member of staff for a period of time," she stated, calling the expenditure a "total distraction" from the core mission of education.
Addiction, Spiking, and Classroom Disruption
Teachers on the frontline describe pupils showing clear signs of addiction. Matthew Day, a science teacher at Wales High, observes students becoming "fidgety and desperate to get out of the classroom" to vape. He has resorted to handing out Blu Tack to help some focus during lessons. The problem escalated dangerously at his school last year when a 15-year-old student was hospitalised after using a vape spiked with an illegal substance.
"The floor felt bouncy, my vision went blurry and then I had a panic attack," the student recounted. The incident led to permanent exclusions and the swift installation of detection equipment. While McCall notes fewer children now vape in school due to the measures, the underlying issue persists. A 15-year-old pupil at The St Lawrence Academy in Scunthorpe admitted to taking between 400 and 500 puffs a day, acknowledging the habit is harmful but feeling unable to stop.
Calls for Support and Legislative Action
School leaders say they cannot fight this battle alone. Dan Ellerby, head teacher at The St Lawrence Academy, which has also reshaped its grounds, stated: "It's really difficult to tackle it alone and you need that support from parents... from the local community." The NASUWT teachers' union is calling for vapes to be added to a list of banned items, granting schools clearer search powers.
The government says it is "taking urgent action" to address the "worrying rise in youth vaping". Officials point to the new relationships, sex and health curriculum, which will teach about harmful substances, and the upcoming Tobacco and Vapes Bill. This legislation aims to make it harder to market and sell vapes to under-18s. However, with teachers reporting that the problem surged after the Covid pandemic and a World Health Organisation report noting children are nine times more likely to vape than adults, schools continue to bear the immediate financial and operational burden of this modern public health challenge.
