Tobacco & Vaping Information for Schools
Information about the responsibilities and strategies for schools and educators to prevent tobacco and vapour use.

What you can do as an educator
Educators play an important role in preventing substances-related harms, including those associated with using tobacco and vaping. The best way to approach the subject is by using a holistic approach.
Schools can use the Comprehensive School Health Framework, an effective and well-established model for informing action on school health matters, and evidence-based strategies including prevention, harm reduction, equity and promoting stigma reduction.
Providing the school community, including students, with real facts in a supportive way and offering a non-judgmental approach is key.
Our team can support your school district address tobacco and vaping. Here are some of the things we can provide consultation and resources for:
- Reviewing or implementing a tobacco and vape free policy
- Reviewing or implementing a tobacco and vaping prevention strategy
- Connection to community resources
- Teaching resources
- Pro-D opportunities for staff
- How to comply with the Tobacco and Vapour Products Control Act and Regulation
Contact us by email to connect with a regional Legal Substances Reduction Coordinator for more information.
Vaping
- Vaping Toolkit for Schools | IH
- Tobacco & Vaping Resources for Schools | IH
- Vaping and Youth Factsheet | IH
- School board resources | ASH Policy Hub
- The ABCs of Youth Substance Use
- About Vaping | Health Canada
- Vaping and Youth | Canadian Lung Association
- Vaping Products Information for Teachers | British Columbia Lung Foundation
- Vaping laws: What you need to know | Poster | BC Ministry of Health
- Vaping: What's the big deal | Brochure | BC Ministry of Health
- QuitNow | Your Vape-Free Life | BC Lung & Government of BC
- Vaping Education Toolkits for Parents & Teachers | Resources for grades 5-10 | BC Lung
- Vaping Conversation Guide for Parents
Tobacco
- Respecting Tobacco | First Nations Health Authority
Nicotine Pouches
Complying with the law
All public and private kindergarten to Grade 12 schools in B.C. are tobacco and vape free under the Tobacco and Vapour Products Control Act and Regulation. This ban extends to all school property 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, regardless of whether or not school is in session. The ban also includes vehicles, parking lots, sports fields, driveways, courtyards and private vehicles parked on school property.
School boards, superintendents and principals are responsible for preventing the contravention of this law. Schools that do not exercise enforcement due diligence may consequentially face administration penalties upwards of $2,500 and/or imprisonment.
- School compliance information | IH
- Vapour Products in and on School Property | IH
- Tobacco and Vapour Products Control Act | Province of British Columbia


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