Substance Use and Vaping

If someone is in immediate need of support for a suspected overdose or is in need of emergency services, call 911.

If you are an educator looking for mental health information, visit our Educator page for Students, Substance Use and Vaping.

Substance use can impact students' academic performance, health and relationships. Parents, guardians and caring adults are key to helping students make informed decisions and supporting those affected. This page provides practical tools and resources to help you create a supportive environment to talk to students about vaping.

How can we help your students at school?

Our nurses are here to help you address substance use in schools with age-appropriate lessons, prevention programs, and strategies for early intervention. Our approach is rooted in trauma-informed care, ensuring education is supportive, inclusive and empowering.

Our Healthy Schools team works directly with schools in St. Thomas, as well as Oxford and Elgin counties, to provide workshops, school-wide initiatives and tailored support for educators, parents, and students. 

Curious to learn more? Contact our Healthy Schools team.

If you are looking for support with enforcement of the Smoke Free Ontario Act on school property (i.e. students smoking or vaping on school property), please fill out the form on our enforcement page.

Interested in helping your students through the realities of substance use at home?

Rethink Your Drinking has you covered. This resource helps parents talk with their teens about alcohol. It encourages moderation and low-risk drinking to support healthy choices and reduce the risks of alcohol use. It’s a great way to promote open, honest conversations that can make a positive difference.

Looking to have more meaningful conversations about substance use with students?

 Check out the resources at Substance, formerly Drug Free Kids Canada. This web page offers short, practical advice for parents on how to discuss substance use with their kids. It’s perfect for starting meaningful and supportive conversations about making healthy decisions.

Are you looking for advice on how to help students with vaping?

We have this Parent and Caregiver Vaping Information sheet if your student has committed an offense at school or if you are curious about how you can talk to your students about vaping.

The Quash Brief Conversations Toolkit might be perfect for you.

The toolkit is designed to be used by parents, teachers and other caring adults to help you work with your student(s) to start their vaping quit journey. Quash is designed for youth and young adults aged 14–30 who want to quit smoking or vaping. It lets you create a personalized plan to help you quit and stay smoke-free for good.

Are you looking for something specific to your student by grade?

We've got you covered below.