PUPILS are attempting to smuggle disposable vapes into a Borders school, councillors have been warned.

The issue was raised during a motion on the dangers of vaping presented to the full council last week.

It emerged that concerned members of Peebles High School Peoples Parliament have raised their concerns around the practice.

They have sent a letter to local businesses that sell vapes asking them to ensure they do so responsibly.

Councillor Leagh Douglas, Conservative councillor for Selkirkshire, when supporting the motion read from that letter, which states: “There is an ever-growing number of pupils attempting to bring vapes into school and attempting to use them on the school property and we are keen to do whatever we can to stop this practice.

“Under-age vaping is not only extremely harmful to the pupils who vape but also intimidating to the other pupils and is deterring them from using the bathrooms and other communal facilities in our school.”

The letter states that younger pupils are being pressurised into using vapes and that litter from vaping was detrimental to the school and local parks.

The motion, submitted by Tweeddale East Conservative councillor Julie Pirone, was unanimously supported in the council chamber.

Councillor Pirone’s motion said: “This council notes with concern the latest research on the damaging health impact of vapes published recently by the University of Nebraska which indicates that vaping exposes teenagers to harmful chemicals including lead and uranium that could adversely affect brain and organ development.

“This council notes the serious detrimental impact this could have on young people’s lives and calls for a report from the director of education to be submitted to the Education Sub Committee in October 2024 on the action that could be taken by the council to address this issue in all our schools.

“This council also requests an update from the director of corporate governance and the director of education on what steps have been taken so far in helping to stop the sale of illegal vapes to young people across the Scottish Borders is brought the Executive Committee.”