The Vaping Epidemic—What Are Schools Doing About It?
- Introduction Vaping isn’t a new issue, but with the recent reports of mysterious lung illnesses linked to e-cigarettes, many schools are starting to crack-down. ...
- Vape Detectors, Removing Bathroom Doors, and Checking Students As the number of teens vaping continues to rise, certain school districts are taking extreme measures to stop them. ...
- Fines and New Health Curriculums ...
- Final Thoughts ...
Full Answer
Is vaping in schools really a problem?
Students share that it is fairly easy to discreetly vape in class, and that’s a huge problem. However, it can be mitigated with some staff training.
Is vaping a problem at your school?
Myth: There are no secondhand smoke risks from vaping. Fact: Like secondhand vapor, secondhand vapor is harmful. When kids are vaping in a school bathroom, others who enter the room inhale the nicotine and the harmful metals and chemicals.
How often should I be Vaping?
If you are just vaping to blow clouds, you should avoid the Nicotine, and just vape whenever. As often as you like. Usually when you first quit smoking, you vape a lot, pretty much at any thought of smoking, which is good; it allows your brain to see that vaping is a good replacement for smoking.
What can schools do to prevent cyberbullying?
The ideal model is a school that incorporates digital citizenship lessons into the school day. A few other things schools can do to help prevent cyberbullying: Start from the ground up. Build a community that rewards kindness and compassion, not only academic or athletic achievement. Use the Internet in lesson plans.
What do schools do to stop vaping?
Go beyond citation and suspension – and help students quit Many schools have written policies in place that outline what to do when a student is caught vaping nicotine or THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) – ranging from suspension to even expulsion.
What are some solutions to stop vaping?
Quitting vaping? Here are 5 tips for handling nicotine withdrawalExercise. Physical activity is a reliable way to crush a craving, according to Hays. ... Use a distraction. Cravings will pass, if you can give them a minute or two. ... Set up your environment for success. ... Find stress solutions. ... Celebrate your accomplishments.
Why do schools care about vaping?
Experts agree that vaping is harmful to students' bodies and brains. There are toxic chemicals and metals in many e-cigarettes, and vaping can cause respiratory issues, and potentially cardiovascular problems, and even seizures. The nicotine itself is much more concentrated in e-cigarettes than traditional ones.
What punishment should I give my kid for vaping?
Most kids use vape pens because they cannot be easily recognized as e-cigarettes. Common punishments include community service, one-week suspension for first or second offenses, and even expulsion for repeated behavior.
Can a doctor tell if you vape?
Medical tests can detect nicotine in people's urine, blood, saliva, hair, and nails. Nicotine is the addictive substance in tobacco, cigarettes, and vapes or e-cigarettes.
Why do teenagers vape?
addiction, they like the “hit” they get from nicotine. appealing flavors (e.g. fruit, candy, dessert) devices are seen as trendy, or a status symbol. they consider vaping “harmless” and “safer than smoking” in order to quit or cut down on smoking.
Is nicotine gum allowed in school?
A: This exception would allow adult staff and visitors to use or possess FDA-approved cessation products, like nicotine patches and gum, on school property or at school-sponsored events. At this time, no nicotine cessation products are approved for use by persons under the age of 18 years.
How common is vaping in high school?
E-cigarettes were young smokers' most commonly used product That equates to about 13 percent of high school students and 4 percent of middle school students.
Is there an alternative to vaping?
“They can speak to an addiction specialist, there's nicotine gum, nicotine patches, things that have less harmful side effects than vaping.” There are only a few FDA-approved stop smoking aids. These include over-the counter nicotine skin patches, nicotine gum and lozenges.
Why is vaping so hard to quit?
Nicotine is very addictive. The more you vape, the more your brain and body get used to having nicotine, and the harder it is to go without it. When you go without vaping, the nicotine level in your bloodstream drops, which may cause unpleasant feelings, physical symptoms, and strong urges to vape.
How do I stop vaping with anxiety?
Exercise can distract you from cravings, reduce stress, and improve your mood. Make it a part of your plan to quit vaping. Stay busy with the activities you love. This will help take your mind off vaping and fight cravings.
What can replace nicotine?
Try nicotine replacement therapy The options include: Prescription nicotine in a nasal spray or inhaler. Nicotine patches, gum and lozenges you can buy without a prescription. Prescription non-nicotine stop-smoking drugs such as bupropion (Wellbutrin SR, Wellbutrin XL, others) and varenicline.
Who is the principal of middle school vaping?
And high school students trained in prevention education will be deployed to the middle schools to talk to younger students about the dangers of vaping, according to Principal Gregg Wieczorek. “I would rather convince a kid to not start, than to ever have to convince them to stop,” Wieczorek said.
Why is it important to start a vaping program with informational letters?
They started with informational letters to parents—a simple but important step because many parents did not know about the prevalence of vaping, were not talking to their children about vaping, or did not know the most effective ways to do so.
What happens if you get caught with a vape pen?
In addition to suspension, students face a possible felony charge if the liquid in the vape pen includes a banned substance like tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), an ingredient in cannabis.
What is Boulder Valley School District?
The Boulder Valley School District in Boulder County , Colo., has moved from letting individual schools decide how to handle such incidents to developing a community-wide approach that now stresses prevention efforts, including education for students about the risks and how to make good decisions, and informational parent nights that feature the county’ s public health department, law enforcement, local doctors, and experts. They are also working with local physicians to ask screening questions during regular check-ups.
How long does it take to vape a cigarette?
Another thing that has health and addiction researchers worried is that a significant number of teenagers who start vaping—30 percent according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse—progress to traditional cigarettes within six months.
What percentage of teens believe e-cigarettes contain flavoring?
But many teens are not aware of the hazards of vaping. Sixty-six percent of teens believe their e-cigarettes contain just flavoring, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
What is a vaporizer pen?
Vaporizer pens and other sleek electronic devices convert nicotine-infused liquids to water vapor that can be inhaled.
What is the most popular tobacco product among high school students?
E-cigarettes are the most popular tobacco product among high school students and they are on the rise with elementary children, so it’s no surprise that they’ve made their way onto school campuses. E-cigarettes are especially appealing to kids, and, since many look like everyday objects, they’re easy to hide.
Should schools have e-cigarette policies?
You should specifically address e-cigarettes in your policy, but make sure they aren’t punitive. This isn’t as much a discipline issue as a rehabilitation one. Instead of exclusionary discipline like in-school suspension, consider having students participate in interactive educational sessions like INDEPTH. Schools also need to have programs and counseling available on-site to help kids quit and support them through that process. This K-12 model policy is a great place to start.
Can students vape in class?
Students share that it is fairly easy to discreetly vape in class, and that’s a huge problem. However, it can be mitigated with some staff training. All administrators, teachers, and staff should be familiarized with the different types of products on the market (some even look like watches!), the harm they cause to lungs and developing brains, and the susceptibility of adolescents to addiction.
How many students vape in the last 30 days?
According to a survey done by The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2018, it was found that over 3.05 million senior students and nearly 570,000 middle school students had vaped within the last 30 days. A study by the National Institute of Health in 2017 also found that more than.
Why are e-cigarettes so popular?
For starters, the devices come in shapes of popular items which are easy to conceal in pockets or sle eves. For instance, the most popular brand, Juul, looks like a USB drive and its small size means that it can be hidden even in the smallest of places. Additionally, they come with sweet scents and flavorings which are only attractive to the teens. The scent of sweet mango or fresh mint in student’s bathrooms, car park, and schoolbus can indicate evidence for the spike in the use of e-cigarettes by middle and high school students.
How old do you have to be to take nicotine test in Nebraska?
This random nicotine tests will be for students aged 12 to 18 years. The tests will be limited to those who wish to engage in extracurricular activities or join school societies.
How long have e-cigarettes been around?
While e-cigarettes have been in existence for more than a decade. It is not until some years ago that their use started increasing at an alarming rate, especially among students.
Why do schools offer anonymous channels?
Offering an anonymous channel will encourage the students to notify the administrators when they spot any behavior change or any use of e-cigarettes in the school compound. Tools such as Kidio Tip Line will
Is vaping in schools a problem?
These kids are unaware of the risks involved. The glorification of vaping in society especially on social media is a problem. It is therefore not unlikely that the devices are increasingly showing up in classrooms, parking lots, and school bathrooms.
Is peer to peer education effective?
Peer-to-peer education programs used in school are still the most effective. They were popular in fighting things like smoking in schools. While they proved to be very useful in the past, there are concerns that traditional programs don’t work today. Programs that advocate for the eradication of Juuls in schools need a fresh approach as the technology, and the chemistry involved in vaping is entirely new. With devices becoming smaller, prettier, and sweeter, it will require immense resources to create programs that help fight this vice.
How to steer kids away from tobacco?
Here are some of the most effective ways you can steer your kids away from tobacco: Maintain a dialogue. Start early — begin talking with your kids about smoking and vaping in kindergarten. Be honest and open to seeing things from your child’s point of view. And don’t stop.
What to do if a friend offers a cigarette?
Discuss what they might say if a friend offers a cigarette or e-cigarette. Set a good example. If you smoke or vape, the best thing you can do is quit. At a minimum, don’t smoke around your children. Establish a smoke-free home. Don’t allow family members or friends to smoke in your home or car.
What are tobacco companies targeting?
Tobacco companies are targeting young people with ads, price discounts and enticing new products such as e-cigs designed to look like sleek gadgets. Many teens and young adults exposed to these efforts are highly impressionable and dealing with social pressures to “fit in” with peers.
Can you smoke with your kids?
At a minimum, don’t smoke around your children. Establish a smoke-free home. Don’t allow family members or friends to smoke in your home or car. Make sure the places your child spends a lot of time are tobacco-free. If your child has started smoking or vaping, try to learn why.
