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There are widespread fears about vaping among parents, schools, and communities.
The use of vaping and e-cigarettes has soared just as young people are less inclined to smoke cigarettes.
In order to prevent the next big health crisis in our country, VAPE IMPACT can help inform our nation's youth about the true dangers of vaping.
In schools across the country, vaping has become a major problem. Even students as young as seven are vaping in the bathroom, locker rooms, hallways, and even in class! There is a danger and disruption associated with this. Nicotine addiction can develop from vaping, which is proven to be a gateway drug.
Vaping in schools will continue to be a problem as more and more devices and products are laced with THC and fentanyl. You can help stop vaping at your school by following these five tips. A proactive approach will be necessary to stop vaping at your school. In order to prevent vaping at school, here are five tips:
When a student is caught vaping, they should face consequences.
For first time offenses a vape education program may be enough to instill a change. A second offense could include additional educational programs on impulse control, decision making skills, good judgment, and character building. Educational programs along with more severe consequences which may also include detention, suspension, or expulsion from school.
It is important to be consistent with enforcing these consequences so that students know that vaping is not tolerated. If you feel that disciplinary actions are too harsh, consider educational programs along with some disciplinary consequences. Consider the consequences on a case-by-case basis, which can be used instead of or, in addition to, harsh traditional disciplinary actions.
Your school can prevent vaping by taking these steps. Your students will be more likely to remain vape-free if you follow these five methods. Your students will be safer and the school culture will be healthier if you implement these strategies.
Creating a strict vape-free policy at your school is one of the best ways to stop vaping in the classroom. In order for this policy to be effective, it needs to be clear and concise. The policy should clearly state that vaping is not allowed on school property or at school events. This policy should be posted in prominent places around the school to make sure everyone is aware of it. Students caught near students who vape are punished just as severely as students who vape themselves, due to strict no-tolerance policies implemented in many schools.
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. This means that in addition to educating your staff, you should also educate your students about the dangers of vaping.
Taking a preventative approach can be done through classroom presentations, educational courses, or even just one-on-one conversations. This will be an ongoing battle until the allure of vaping to ‘look cool’ stops. Youth are always testing boundaries and want to appear ‘grown up’ to their peers. Education about serious health risks associated with vaping is needed, which may eventually outweigh their perceived benefits. We must explain the risks associated with vaping in order for them to make informed decisions.
Vape detectors can also be placed strategically around your school to stop vaping. As a result, students will be clearly informed that vaping is not allowed on school grounds. There is no doubt that vape detectors work effectively in deterring vaping. Several vendors offer affordable, effective vape detectors that can help schools stop the vaping epidemic.
Vaping poses dangers to your staff, so it's essential to educate them about it. They should be aware of the signs a student is vaping so they can take action if they see it happening. It can be difficult to spot modern vapes since they are small and concealable. A staff member should be familiar with how vapes look, since they do resemble USB jump drives or pens.
A student may be vaping, however, if they exhibit certain signs:
It is no secret that youth use vapes to ‘look cool’ but they’re also attracted to vapes because of their fun flavors, such as cotton candy, mango, watermelon, blue raspberry, and more. Vapes leave a scent in the air, so if you notice a sweet smell, it is possible that vaping is taking place.
Can vaping be punished appropriately? Suspension, for example, allows students to continue vaping at home if they violate the vaping policy.
Both addiction and behavioral problems are associated with vaping. It is more effective to help students stop vaping with a whole-person strategy rather than punishing them. We have seen better results referring a student to a vaping awareness program along with other educational programs, rather than harsh traditional disciplinary actions.
A Saturday school is an option for students who have been suspended for smoking or vaping infractions, where they can enroll in an online course on nicotine products and addiction. In these programs, students report becoming less dependent on vaping after learning the dangers, and administrators see grades and physical and mental well-being improving.
Educators and health experts worry about the long-term effects of nicotine on students’ developing brains. High school students are not always accepting of the concerns over vaping.
And there are added concerns in states where marijuana has been legalized that students now have easier access to THC, which can be used with easily concealed vape devices.
Educators are getting smarter learning about these new products, but still feel they are playing catch up.
Administrative challenges in education and in society are perplexing where the confiscation of illegal devices in some areas has more than doubled due to tobacco or marijuana use.
Students' bodies and brains are negatively affected by vaping, according to experts. Most e-cigarettes contain toxic metals and chemicals, making them potentially dangerous for health, and can even cause seizures. E-cigarettes contain a much higher concentration of nicotine than traditional cigarettes.
Using nicotine will alter the structure of a developing brain, and we have no idea what the long-term effects will be.
The adverse health effects of e-cigarettes that we are aware of are short-term, there is no long-term data available like there is for cigarette smoking. We will not know how dangerous e-cigarettes are for 30 to 40 years.
Teenagers are often unaware of the hazards of vaping, however according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, 66 percent of teens believe their e-cigarettes contain nothing but flavoring.
Nicotine, lead, and cancer-causing chemicals are all found in e-cigarettes, yet many are unaware of them.
In the marketing of e-cigarettes to youth, the flavors of bubble gum and candy are marketed as something fun.
The vaping trend among young people has taken off over the last several years.
School administrators, teachers and staff agree that additional security, technology and education would be most effective in curbing vaping in school. Three-quarters of vaping teens (77%) believe it's easy to get away with vaping at school.
The Approach to Stop Vaping at School.
Now that administrators are aware of this health hazard, they are focusing on prevention education and outreach, providing resources to students to educate them about the dangers of vaping before they even start.
Schools are already reshaping their disciplinary actions to address the issue, while the health risks of vaping are becoming more apparent.
Researchers are also concerned by the fact that 30% of teenagers who start vaping go on to smoke traditional cigarettes within six months, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. It is not exactly clear why this is the case, but scaring students off that path doesn’t work.
Although vaping has serious health consequences, educating today's teens about its dangers might be more challenging than educating them about regular cigarettes and chewing tobacco.
A zero-tolerance drug policy should be set by parents at home, school officials say.
Youths don’t always make the best decisions. Factor in their curious nature and temptations to do what their friends are doing.
Schools want more teeth to their vaping policy, and a little bit more flexibility with education to be a part of the equation.
Using a vape pen that contains tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), an ingredient in cannabis, can lead to students being suspended and charged with a felony.
In addition to learning about school consequences, students should be taught about the potential consequences if law enforcement intervenes.
Many educators do not believe that harsh punitive measures like suspension alone are a good solution.
Athletes at some schools reported that even the threat of suspension from school sports didn't deter them from smoking cigarettes.
A few districts have tried punishing students by suspending them, locking bathrooms where they gather, and setting up an anonymous tip line for students who want to report other students who are selling or possessing vapes.
Do suspensions reduce the number of vape-related incidents?
We need to look at how we educate our kids at a younger age and how we get them help and a plan that focuses more on parent and student education.
High school students are not always accepting of the concerns over vaping.
What’s needed is a complete approach.
With an “explosion of vaping incidents” at schools across the land, what are we going to do about it?
It is always best to take a simple, common-sense approach.
The first step is to reach and inform parents through letters, emails, and text messages. Many parents do not know about vaping's popularity, do not communicate with their children about vaping, and do not know the best way to do so.
Organize professional development for nurses, school counselors, and teachers.
Most of the information can be basic and straightforward, such as explaining types of devices, how students conceal them, and what vocabulary terms students use.
Develop a screening, intervention, and referral program to reduce student absences.
Students can be taught to make good decisions, to question advertisements for e-cigarettes, and to say “No” to vaping through prevention programs at the elementary school level. At this level, youth understand that vaping is not healthy, but they perceive it to be less risky than snorting cocaine or heroin. They also understand that they are young and care about themselves, and still believe they can make their own smart choices.