An unexpected police search at a Benoni school this week unearthed an array of contraband, including 221 vapes.
According to social activist Yusuf Abramjee from Gauteng, the Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department and the SAPS K-9 Unit conducted a search and seizure operation at the Belvedere School on 9 September. Several illegal items were discovered in learners’ possession.
Of great concern was that a total of 221 vape e-cigarettes were found in learners’ possession.
Other items discovered were: seven zip-lock bags of cannabis, 10 knives, three knuckle busters, nine lighters, five boxes of matches, and three toy guns.
School searches aimed at curbing unlawful offences
“With the continuous purpose of intensifying operations on school searches, to curb the number of unlawful activities taking place on school premises, learners were body searched.
“…while the K9 Unit sniffer dog was used to search school bags in the classrooms, for illicit substances and dangerous weapons,” Abramjee.
According to the Tobacco Product Control Act of 1993, it is illegal for people under the age of 18 years old to dabble in smoking cigarettes or e-cigarettes, which are classified as.
Dr Marisna Venter, a General Practitioner at Mediclinic Hermanus, said in a report that there were a host of toxins and harmful substances in vaping liquid. With vaping being in the South African market for about ten years, the exact contents of the vaping liquids and their effects have yet to be discovered.
Venter says vaping is increasing among teens because:
- It’s less obtrusive than cigarettes.
- e-Cigarettes can be easily hidden away in a pocket.
- Vapes are lightweight devices and not as obvious as smoking cigarettes.
- The sweet and fruity flavours of vaping liquids are enticing to teenagers.
- Vapes are colourful and come in appealing designs.
- It introduces non-smoking youth to nicotine.
- Teenagers’ nature to experiment may enable them to add THC oil to the vape, an ingredient in cannabis that results in a feeling of high.
Venter warned that vaping can be harmful to teenagers’ health. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and inflammatory lung disease may result.
“A major problem with the oil base used in e-cigarettes, especially the devices that users modify to use with additives like THC, is the carrier oil vitamin E acetate, a condensing agent linked to e-cigarette use-associated lung injury (EVALI), commonly known as ‘popcorn lungs’,” warns Dr Venter.
Venter said burning vitamin E acetate in a vaping device has been shown to produce a highly noxious gas called ketene, which, if inhaled, can cause severe lung damage in low concentrations and death in high concentrations.
Abramjee added that school searches in the City of Ekurhuleni will continue to ensure safety within schools.
On 24 June, the Safe Schools Protocol was launched in Parliament, Cape Town, aimed at creating safe and child-friendly schools.
What are your views on teenagers smoking vapes?
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