Children Under Attack: Educators Join Hands for a National Fight Against New-Age Gateway Devices in Schools this Teachers Day

• Ministry of Education expert calls for stricter implementation of PECA 2019 as e-cigarettes remain easily available online.
• Medical experts debunk the myth of “safe alternatives,” warning of high addiction risks and severe lung damage from new-age gateway devices among school children.
• Principals and teachers urge educators nationwide to join a campaign to stop these devices from entering schools through stronger protocols, wellness checks, and early detection of warning signs.

New Delhi, 5 September, 2025: This Teacher’s Day, educators, school principals, and health experts unite and raised an alarm over the rising threat of new-age nicotine devices such as like vapes, e-cigarettes nicotine pouches and heated tobacco products (HTPs) invading schools. Gathering at a national conference, they came together with a united call to action and pledged to “Stop the Entry of Novel Nicotine Products in Schools.”

Organized by Mothers Against Vaping (MAV), this conference brought together leading voices from across the education community, including Mr. Arun Mukherjee, Principal (IB), Genesis Global School, Noida; Ms. Shikha Sehgal, Head – Counselling, Heritage International Xperiential School, Gurugram; Mr. Pramod Sharma, Vice President, Member – Management Committee, Genesis Global School, Noida; Ms. Jyoti Singh, Principal, Lady Irwin Senior Secondary School, Delhi; and Ms. Rashmi Malhotra, Headmistress, Delhi Public School, R.K. Puram, Delhi.

Speaking at the workshop, Ms. A. Srija, Economic Adviser, Department of School Education & Literacy (DoSEL), Ministry of Education, gave the special address and said, “We already have a law, the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Act (PECA), 2019, but stricter enforcement is needed since products like e-cigarettes are widely available online. A recent study revealed that 35.6% of online sellers are still flouting the ban. Despite TOFEI (Tobacco-Free Educational Institution) guidelines being in place, teachers tell us that students continue accessing these products online with ease.

She added that teachers are also raising pressing concerns: “What should I do if I find a vape in a student’s bag? How do I respond without isolating the child? Hence, we urgently need a clear set of school-based protocols for intervention, steps that teachers can follow when e-cigarettes are found among students. We also invite medical professionals to participate in our upcoming workshops to talk about vaping-related harms. This will be immensely valuable, as most current programs are still focused only on traditional tobacco.”

All panelists stressed that combating this growing threat requires collective, sustained action across the ecosystem, from students and parents to teachers and policymakers. As availability of such devices is not getting curbed despite a lot of efforts, behavioral change is critical to understand and intervene accordingly. Children must be equipped to say “no” through awareness, peer support, and strong parental and teacher guidance.

Talking about how large the issue of vaping has become, Ms. Rashmi Malhotra, Headmistress, Delhi Public School, R.K. Puram, Delhi said, “We’re not even seeing the tip of the iceberg; the problem is much bigger than it appears. As an educator with three decades of experience, I’m still learning alarming new realities. If this is the case for someone like me, what about a child from a less-exposed background or parents who have no idea what’s happening? Children are experimenting with products labelled as ‘herbal’ vapes, easily available online. Misinformation, peer pressure, and glamorization on social media mislead them into believing it’s safe. The truth is, most children are stepping into this unaware and unprepared – it’s like handing them a car without teaching them how to drive. I applaud Mothers Against Vaping for organizing this meaningful workshop. We need to urgently scale up awareness, enforcement, and adult accountability on the issue.”

On the importance of noticing early warning signs among students, Mr. Pramod Sharma, Vice President, Member – Management Committee, Genesis Global School Noida, said, “In most cases, it is the school that first notices early warning signs of abnormal behavior in a child. This could show up as a sudden drop in academic performance, reduced attention span, or withdrawal from activities the child previously enjoyed. When such patterns emerge, it is typically the responsibility of the school to alert the parents. Though the initial reaction from parents is often of denial, with persistent and compassionate communication, schools can help parents come on board. Once they begin to see the signs themselves, they usually become invested in resolving the issue. Collaboration between the school and the family is crucial, especially in the early stages.”

On detecting behavioral changes, Ms. Shikha Sehgal, Head – Counselling, Heritage International Xperiential School, Gurugram, emphasized the need for a strategic, year-round student well-being plan and said, “Schools should integrate regular check-ins by counsellors, especially in middle and senior grades, to identify shifts in behavior early. Any sign of concern should prompt deeper engagement with the student. Tools like wellness surveys, attendance tracking, and standardized assessments can be used. For instance, frequent absenteeism in classes 10 to 12 often signals underlying issues such as stress, family problems, or exposure to harmful substances. These indicators help us intervene effectively.”

Highlighting that it is not just students from affluent backgrounds but also those from less privileged communities who are falling prey to these new-age devices, Ms. Jyoti Singh, principal of Lady Irwin Senior Secondary School, Delhi, said, “It’s a misconception that only students from affluent families are using vapes. We’re seeing girls from economically modest backgrounds accessing these products, often through peer influence and the need to fit in. What’s especially worrying is that even high-achieving, academically bright girls are experimenting with vaping. This creates a ripple effect—if the ‘smart’ girl is doing it, others feel it must be okay. Social media, especially platforms like Instagram, plays a massive role in normalizing this behavior. Reels glamorizing vaping give girls a false sense of empowerment or ‘coolness.”

Medical experts at the workshop strongly debunked the myth of “safe alternatives,” warning that novel nicotine devices are far more dangerous than commonly believed.

Dr. Fousin M Latheef, Associate Consultant, Chest Medicine, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, said, “Science is clear that novel nicotine devices like vapes and pouches are not safer alternatives and, in fact, are sophisticated tools to hook children into lifelong addiction. These devices are flavored, sleek, and stealthy and bypass the stigma of smoking while delivering dangerously high nicotine doses. Vapes release harmful substances like formaldehyde and heavy metals and can cause irreversible lung damage, including ‘popcorn lung’ and the deadly EVALI. Nicotine pouches and vape pens are now being used to deliver marijuana oils and synthetic drugs, turning addiction into a gateway.”

To effectively tackle the rising threat of these novel nicotine products among students, educators at the workshop proposed novel and forward-thinking strategies focused on prevention, education, and policy reform.

Mr. Pramod Sharma said, “Integrating education about vaping addiction directly into the school curriculum is a powerful step forward. Including a dedicated chapter in NCERT textbooks would ensure every student understands the dangers early on. This isn’t just awareness; it is prevention through education, embedded in the very foundation of learning and in our education policy.”

Adding to this, Ms. Jyoti Singh suggested, “When it comes to protecting children, every platform counts. Why not include a segment on the dangers of vaping in the Prime Minister’s Mann Ki Baat? Millions of students tune in, especially around board exams. If the message comes from the highest level, it sends a powerful signal. It will ensure awareness reaches every home, and we can then push for action-taken reports and policy follow-up through the Lok Sabha.”

Mr. Arun Mukherjee, Principal (IB), Genesis Global School, Noida, shared his perspective: “As educators, our primary role is to establish a consolidated policy that goes beyond just rules. It should involve Positive Behavior Learning (PBL) and include principals, teachers, mentors, and counselors working together. When we identify a student using vapes, the goal should not be punishment but transformation. Educating parents and teachers is equally crucial. We need to understand why students are turning to these devices, which could be due to peer influence, academic stress, or unmet expectations at home. Parental pressure can unintentionally push children towards harmful coping mechanisms, so it is essential that parents listen more and judge less. Shaming or isolating a child is never the answer—support and guidance are.”