Concern in schools: 10-year-olds are already vaping

Vaping among young people in the Balearic Islands has skyrocketed in schools, according to the report from the Police Tutor Program for the 2024-2025 academic year. Program officials warn that students are starting to vape as young as ten, an age they consider "very premature" and especially worrying due to the ease of handling the devices and the lack of awareness of the health risks. The Director General of Emergencies and Interior for the Balearic Islands Government, Pablo Gárriz, and the coordinator of the Police Tutor Program, Rafel Covas, explained at a press conference that many young people perceive vaping as less harmful than tobacco, which is not true, and that the online purchase of devices complicates monitoring minors. Although regulations are being expanded, controlling vaping is more difficult than controlling tobacco, Gárriz emphasized. Bullying, on the decline

Regarding bullying, the figures show a slight decrease for the first time since the pandemic. During the 2024-2025 school year, 181 cases were recorded, 5% fewer than the previous year. Other incidents have also decreased: 49% fewer thefts or robberies, 19% fewer alleged crimes, and 4% fewer instances of damage to facilities and vehicles. Conflicts between students have fallen by 8%; expulsions by 35%; and identifications of suspects in the school environment by 64%. Serious confrontations with teachers remain stable, with 130 cases compared to 131 in the previous school year.

According to Gárriz, this data shows that prevention through the 102 school liaison officers is effective, but that "there is still much to be done and we cannot let our guard down." The School Liaison Officer Program offers educational sessions to students and information to families to prevent bullying, combat truancy, and reduce risky behaviors inside and outside of school. The report also notes that 5,786 interventions were carried out during the past school year, 2,482 of which took place in schools; 3,029 with minors outside of school; and 275 in digital environments such as the internet and social media.