Headspace Orange organising vaping information session

Sharna Lord is the community awareness officer at Headspace Orange and has helped organise a vaping information event towards the end of May.

She said the issue really started gaining steam at the end of last year.

READ MORE: Orange rental housing crisis revealed in Anglicare affordability report as single mum left homeless

"It's a topic that gets brought up with us from parents and teachers all the time," Ms Lord said.

"Teachers are saying that students are vaping and vaping a lot and that its popularity is increasing. Teachers just aren't really sure what this is and whether it's safe to allow kids to do it."

Information will be provided from NSW Health, Orange drug and alcohol service Lives Live Well and the youth drug and alcohol worker out of NSW Health.

READ MORE: Business NSW reports high level of skills, labour shortage across Orange, Central West

While there is a lot of anecdotal evidence of this vaping increase, the data behind it is still lagging behind.

"Research is being done by Mel Jackson who is a clinical research coordinator at Hunter New England and basically she is the one who has been doing a lot of the research," Ms Lord added.

"Prior to that the only real knowledge we have is from the states.

READ MORE: Developer's $10,000 challenge to Orange council over boarding house

"What we want to do is harm minimisation with the young people. We're looking at the facts that are relevant rather than just saying 'don't do it, it's bad', because that doesn't work."

Also taking part in the session - which will be aimed at parents, teachers and community members - is a Headspace client who is a vaper. Ms Lord hopes he can provide additional perspective to the discussion.

"I suppose teens always turn to what is new and exciting and it's built momentum," she said.

READ MORE: Jenna Dunn in Orange Local Court for negligent driving

"The accessibility of it is quite broad and young people can get their hands on it quite easily. You can buy it without identification."

Those interested in taking part should call the Headspace office for information.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: