More teens are using e-cigarettes for marijuana, police say

Police are warning the public - and parents in particular - over an increase in the use of marijuana oil in electronic cigarettes among high school students.

Five students in the past two weeks have been caught using e-cigarettes to inhale marijuana oil by EPS school resource officers, prompting public and Catholic school boards to ban the use of e-cigarettes on school property.

The e-cigarettes do not produce any discernible marijuana odour, only vapour.  

Sgt. Kelly Rosnau of the EPS School Resource Officers unit said it’s a rapidly emerging trend.

“It’s prevalent. It’s everywhere,” said Rosnau. “Kids are jumping on this quickly.”

But police are primarily concerned about the health and safety risks that come with inhaling the vaporized marijuana oil.

Marijuana oil can contain a THC content as high as 90 per cent, Rosnau said, which is significantly higher than the 10-20 per cent found in typical marijuana joints.

Rosnau also said the production behind marijuana oil makes it very unsafe.

There are significant amounts of highly flammable chemicals such as butane used in production and the risk of an explosion is a “very real hazard”, he said.

Colin Rogucki, the owner Shell Shock on Jasper Avenue, sells marijuana smoking paraphernalia. He believes the issue is being blown out of proportion.

“I don’t see a lot of kids doing it,” he said. “I think they’re trying to fear monger the parents, kids, everyone else. There are a lot more scary things out there.”