Kōkiri Learn

Background reading · Health and Physical Education

Vaping, alcohol and energy drinks: the facts

Plain facts about what vaping, alcohol and energy drinks do to a growing brain and body, what the law says, and why most young people choose not to.

You have probably seen vapes, heard people talk about drinking, or noticed energy drinks in the dairy fridge. Here are the facts, so you can make your own choices and help your friends.

Most young people don't

It can seem like everyone vapes or drinks, but that isn't true. A national survey in 2025 found that about 7 in every 100 students aged 14 and 15 vaped every day. That is a real concern, but it also means that the great majority of young people don't. Choosing not to is normal.

Vaping

  • What it is: a vape heats a liquid into a mist that is breathed in. The liquid usually contains nicotine, flavourings and chemicals called propylene glycol and glycerol.
  • Nicotine: a drug that is highly addictive. Young people's brains are still growing, so they get hooked more easily than adults, and nicotine can change how a young brain develops.
  • Lungs: vaping can irritate the lungs and throat, cause coughing and make asthma worse. Because vapes are new, nobody yet knows all the long-term effects.
  • The law: in New Zealand it is illegal to sell or supply vapes to anyone under 18, and schools must be vape-free.

    • Alcohol

    Alcohol slows down the brain and body. Your brain keeps developing until your mid-20s, and alcohol can interfere with that, affecting memory, learning and decision-making. KidsHealth advises that the safest choice for anyone under 18 is no alcohol, and people who start drinking before 14 are much more likely to have problems with alcohol later. You must be 18 to buy alcohol in New Zealand.

    Energy drinks

    Energy drinks contain a lot of caffeine and often a lot of sugar. Caffeine blocks the chemical that makes you sleepy, and it can make your heart race, make you jittery and ruin your sleep. They are not recommended for children.

    Why people start, and what else works

    People sometimes try substances to fit in, out of curiosity, or to cope with stress. Those needs are real. Friends, sport, music, a trusted adult and the calming strategies you practise in this world meet them without the harm. And if a friend is in trouble after drinking, call 111. You won't get in trouble for getting help.

    Sources and further reading

    Written for Kōkiri Learn students in our own words. Check facts against the sources.

    Used in: Recharge: Sleep, Screens and Stress