Virtual reality is being used to teach teenagers about the risks of vaping.
OVRcome uses cell phones and headsets to place students in virtual situations like the toilet or park, where they’re offered a puff of the fruity-flavoured nicotine vapour.
Students are then asked to consider the triggers of vaping and what they should do if they wanted to stop.
Five schools are taking part in the pilot, developed by clinical psychologist, in the hopes it could be rolled out more widely.
Among those participating are students from Rangiora High School in Canterbury.
Acting principal Remihana Emery said it’s important to dispel some of the myths around vaping and to give students the facts.
“For me, for my kids, for our students, they’re unaware of some of the chemicals that are contained in vapes that they actually put into their bodies,” he said.
“Even some of the vape juice that you can buy contains more nicotine than cigarettes itself.
“So, I know initially vaping was seen as a way to an alternative to smoking but … it seems to have pulled in more people who may not have smoked.”
Deputy principal Haidee Tiffen said the programme gives young people the skills to change their mindset.
“They learn about calming skills, breathing skills, how to have some composure before they make a decision, how to deal with urges, how to say no.
“So, they’re put through a series of modules and then they’re put in a virtual reality situation to sort of test those skills out in a safe place of the classroom and see how they go and being offered a vape.”
OVRcome founder Adam Hutchinson said the trial has been running for two terms.
“Over 60% of people that have gone through the programme have reported a real change in their ability to be able to sort of reject vaping.
“The next phase is to be able to look at some improvements to the programme and then we look at scaling this hopefully across all of New Zealand.”
