Tehran school counselors report rising vape use among students

While Tehran education officials recently claimed that the use of vapes and electronic cigarettes in schools has dropped to zero, school counselors are disputing these figures. Mohammad Davari, a school counselor in Tehran, reports that rather than declining, the use of these products is expanding among students.

Davari notes that the trend is reaching increasingly younger age groups, with reports of consumption appearing as early as fifth and sixth grade in elementary schools. He emphasizes that this issue is not limited to specific regions or socioeconomic statuses, noting that cases have been observed even in affluent schools where families typically provide more supervision.

According to Davari, the lack of accurate recording and the tendency for these incidents to remain hidden prevent officials from having a clear picture of the problem. He suggests that instead of focusing solely on disciplinary actions, there is an urgent need to understand the underlying reasons for this trend and to strengthen the roles of both families and schools in prevention.