A foster mother of three has raised concerns about vape bars after finding two in her teenage daughter’s school bag – and believes school is not doing enough to address the problem.
The vapes, which she believes are marketed to children for their bright colors and flavors like chewing gum and strawberry, are said to have nicotine levels of up to five percent, more than double the legal limit of two percent.
The worried mother has three children – a boy, nine, and two girls, 12 and 14, both of whom are attending school in Rochdale. The Observer did not name the school to protect its identity.
She said, “I take the tram and see all the children come out of school with them.
“That’s a big problem. I never thought my daughter would do that, she is 14. She is attractive and naive.”
The mother believes students can buy them in local stores for just five.
She added, “I had a meeting with the school. The teacher said it was a problem in Rochdale, not just in her school.
“I thought, ‘Why don’t you tell the parents?'”
She discovered that her daughter had used her tram money on the vapes by jumping the tram and found a second vape in her pocket a few weeks later.
She added, “I have fostered her since childhood – she’s like my daughter and a straight A student.
“She has to walk to school now and I took her cell phone from her.
“She is now down to earth from Monday to Friday and is not allowed into town on the weekends.
“It is incredible when the school is aware of the problem why we as parents were not made aware of it.
“My daughter is a great girl and I wouldn’t wait for it. The children have no idea how dangerous they are and the parents don’t know about them.
“It is really wrong that they are aimed at children.”
In a statement, Coun Sara Rowbotham, Vice Chair of Rochdale Borough Council said, “We recognize that there is a problem with under 18s accessing vape / e-cigarettes within the county.
“This is a nationwide problem that is not unique to Rochdale.
“All dealers through whom we receive complaints will be visited and advised accordingly, and we will also make our own test purchases.
“We take it very seriously. The maximum fine for someone who has sold vapes to anyone under the age of 18 is £ 2,500. All information can be forwarded to us at trading.standards@rochdale.gov.uk. “
