Police tackle illegal vape use through education

In response to a rise in the number of young people purchasing vapes that contain illegal substances, police in Paignton and Brixham are stepping up their visits to secondary schools to safeguard young people from the negative impacts of using them; both on their health and their futures.

In an effort to tackle this issue, officers have been running regular assemblies in local schools across Paignton and Brixham to educate students about the risks of using drugs and to deter young people from using them.

Inspector Pete Giesens, who heads up the neighbourhood police officers in Paignton and Brixham, said: “It’s important that our police teams take proactive action to keep young people safe; we know one of the most effective ways of doing this is through education.

“It is vital that we engage with the young people and schools in our communities to do this. During our assemblies, students are educated about the risks associated with drug use and illegal vapes. The potential impacts on their health are highlighted, along with the wider long-term consequences it can have on their futures if they are found with illegal substances, such as applying for university.”

“We don’t want to convict young people found with these substances, if possible, but it all depends on the circumstances and if they’ve had previous encounters with the police for drug offences. Our first course of action will always be to deter the use of these illegal substances,” added Insp Giesens.

“To tackle this collectively, we’d also like to encourage parents and guardians to discourage their children from getting involved in any illegal activities and continue to remind them of the negative consequences that using drugs can have. By working together, we can create a supportive community that encourages responsible decision-making and safeguards the wellbeing of young people.”

Resources are available for parents and guardians who would like support with having conversations about drugs with young people. The ‘Let’s Talk’ programme, aims to help parents and guardians understand more about the challenges young people are facing today, including drugs, alcohol and mental health. The programme contains a mixture of resources that are completely free, including virtual toolkits and online sessions. Resources are available here: Let's Talk Teenagers - Safer Devon.

If you would like advice or help for teenagers using drugs or vapes containing drugs, or you are a young person needing advice about vaping or drugs, please get in contact with your GP or school and college staff. The NHS website also contains useful information for young people and parents and guardians.

To report concerns of illegal activity or to log non-urgent crimes happening in your area, please visit our website or call 101. If you would like to report crimes anonymously please visit Crimestoppers. For all emergencies call 999.