Alcohol, tobacco (including e-cigarettes) and other drugs present a risk to the health and safety of children and young people. They are incompatible with a learning environment and inappropriate in a school setting.

Parents, carers and schools need consistent messaging about drugs and alcohol and to work together if an issue arises.

E-cigarettes and vaping

E-cigarettes are devices that deliver an aerosol by heating a solution that users breathe in. The aerosol is commonly referred to as ‘vapour’. Using an e-cigarette is commonly known as ‘vaping’.

A survey of 13-to-19-year-olds by South Australia’s Commissioner for Children and Young People (in 2022) found that 2 in 3 young people had tried vaping, with almost 1 in 4 describing themselves as a regular vaper.

SA Health fact sheets, posters and resources

You can help protect young people by learning about the different types of e-cigarettes and their health risks.

SA Health has e-cigarettes and vaping information and resources available, including posters and fact sheets for teachers and schools, parents and carers, and children and young people.

E-cigarettes and vaping laws

Legislation under the Therapeutic Goods and Other Legislation Amendment (Vaping Reforms) Act 2024 that came into effect 1 July 2024 puts in place nationally consistent rules on importation, domestic manufacture, supply, commercial possession, and advertisement of all vapes. In South Australia, young people need a prescription from a GP to purchase vapes from a pharmacy. Flavours are restricted to mint, menthol and tobacco in plain packaging.

The Tobacco and E-Cigarette Products Act 1997 has been updated to include the introduction of a 10 metre boundary around schools, preschools, corporate and early learning childhood centres and sporting facilities.

A full list and free smoke-free and vape-free stickers can be found on SA Health’s Clearing the Air website.

Other resources to support teachers, parents and young people can be found at SA Health Be Vape Free. The resources available include posters and fact sheets (translated versions available).

Listen to Drug and Alcohol Services South Australia (DASSA) explain the law and how it applies:

Vaping action plan for schools

The department has an action plan to address vaping in schools. It brings together a range of new and existing initiatives to support schools to address this issue.

Resources include:

• curriculum planning and implementation resources for teachers
• funded vaping education programs for students with a preventative health approach
• promotion of evidence-based webinars and resources for schools
• a public health campaign for schools, in partnership with Drug and Alcohol Services SA (DASSA), providing information for students, parents and teachers on the harms of vaping and supports available
• improved guidance to schools on:
  • maintaining smoke-free environments
  • managing incidents involving vaping
  • supporting families to access additional supports
• responding to vaping education resources for school staff developed in collaboration with DASSA, the Cancer Council SA and the Commissioner for Children and Young People
• resources to support schools to communicate with students, parents and the community about smoke-free, vape-free areas, including a 10-metre boundary around schools, preschools, early childhood learning centres and corporate buildings.

Department for Education staff can access more information on EDi, our intranet – vaping and e-cigarettes in schools (staff login required).

How drugs, tobacco and alcohol are managed

Our schools have access to numerous resources to help them address concerns, including:

• our smoke-free policy
• our alcohol, tobacco and other drugs incident management procedure
• our health and physical education curriculum
• Positive Choices website funded by the Australian Government Department of Health
• preventative alcohol and other drug education by external providers
• referral to GP for information on health harms and quitting support.

Positive Choices website

The Positive Choices website has free access to evidence-based alcohol and other drug education resources (including e-cigarettes) for teachers, schools, parents and students.

Nunkuwarrin Yunti’s Tackling Smoking website

The Nunkuwarrin Yunti Tackling Smoking Team have community workshops, tools and resources to reduce smoking and vaping among Aboriginal people in Adelaide.

Lung Foundation website

Vaping eLearning

The Lung Foundation has a short, interactive eLearning activity for teachers, schools, parents and students. The online training outlines:

• what vapes are and how they work
• harmful ingredients found in vapes
• the short and long-term health impacts of vaping
• ways to combat peer pressure around vaping.

Preventative alcohol and other drug education programs

The government funds private providers to deliver preventative alcohol and other drug education, including vaping. The programs are available to all government, Catholic and independent schools in South Australia.

To access these programs, contact:

• Life Education
  Phone: 1300 427 653
  Email: sa@lifeeducation.org.au
• Encounter Youth
  Phone: (08) 8179 0300
  Email: education@encounteryouth.com.au

Alcohol and drug education in the curriculum

Alcohol and other drugs education, including tobacco products and e-cigarettes, is included in the Australian Curriculum on Health and Physical Education from foundation to year 10.

It helps students explore the impact that drugs can have on individuals, families and communities.

Schools also have access to South Australian curriculum planning and implementation resources that provide age-appropriate, strengths-based guidance for teachers in relation to e-cigarettes, that can be contextualised to suit both site and community needs and priorities.

Advice, treatment and referral

For support to manage vaping, families should contact their General Practitioner (GP).

For the cost of a local call, the SA Quitline has a confidential phone service that operates Monday to Friday, 8am to 10pm. Counsellors have skills in supporting people to address their vaping or smoking. Phone 13 78 48.

Quitline for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community has online resources and counsellors committed to helping. Available from 8.00am to 8.00pm, Monday to Friday. Phone 13 78 48.

MyQuitBuddy is an app free to download that offers quitting support. Download age limits may apply however the design is user friendly and designed for teens.

The Alcohol and Drug information Service (ADIS) is a confidential phone counselling, information and referral service for anyone affected by wider alcohol and other drugs use. It operates between 8.30am to 10.00pm daily. Phone 1300 13 13 40.

SA Health Be Vape Free offers information, free resources (including posters and factsheets) and support about how to quit vaping. Translated versions of the fact sheets for parents and carers are available.

Advice on how to talk to your kids about alcohol and other drugs (including vaping) and other resources can be found on the Student Wellbeing Hub.

Help for families, children and young people

Visit sa.gov.au for more details about:

• young people and alcohol, tobacco and other drugs
• tobacco and e-cigarette laws and businesses.

Contact your school for information about drug education programs or counselling.