Dubai: Vaping on the rise among school students, warn experts

Dubai: Vaping on the rise among school students, warn experts

M.A., a 12-year-old student at a school in Dubai, was shocked when a senior student offered her a vape in the school toilet. “She said it was her 12th vape and no one had ever caught her and that her 10-year-old brother also vaped,” said M.A.

Experts in the country are warning that there has been a rise in the number of school students who are vaping. Bushra Khan, a transformation coach at Wellth, deals with addictions and said that she had seen an increase in the number of teenage clients who came to her to kick the habit of vaping.

“Adolescence is a time of exploration and experimentation,” she said. “Teenagers may try vaping out of curiosity or to see what it's like, not fully understanding the potential risks. Some teenagers may turn to vape as a way to cope with stress or emotional difficulties, seeking a form of escape or temporary relief.”

Hard to catch

School principals have also agreed that they have seen an increase in students vaping. One principal, who did not want to be identified, said that they faced certain difficulties while cracking down on vaping.

“Unlike cigarettes, vapes are harder to detect because they don’t leave a smell like