SCHOOLS should be made to tell parents if their child is caught vaping, an MP says.
The call follows a survey showing that nearly nine in ten mums and dads want to be informed.
GettyParents should be made aware if their child is caught vaping, an MP says[/caption]
There is no legal requirement for schools to ban vapes or to notify parents if their child is caught, as there is for tobacco and drugs.
But teachers say vaping is on the rise and more children are trying it.
Tory MP Craig Whittaker said: “Schools should be telling parents if their child is caught vaping.
“Government are cracking down on youth vaping and parents should be told about children so they can take responsibility, too.”
Mark Oates, of We Vape, which commissioned the poll, said: “It reveals a public appetite for schools to engage with parents. Teachers and parents working together is an obvious way to stop young people from vaping.”
The poll also found three quarters think shopkeepers who repeatedly sell vapes to children should go to jail.
Meanwhile, NASUWT research has revealed more than half of educators have seen pupils leave class to vape.
The union’s Darren Northcott said: “Our experience is that schools generally inform parents of significant episodes of inappropriate behaviour. The biggest issue is that under-18s are able to get hold of vapes so readily.”
Department for Education policy says schools can ban what they want including e-cigarettes or vapes.