When e-cigarettes, more commonly known as vapes, were first introduced into the American market in 2007, they skyrocketed in popularity and were embraced as an alternative to the traditional cigarette. Since then, the market has grown. Most recently, in 2023, the FDA announced that vapes were the most used tobacco product for the tenth year in a row, both for those of age, and most problematically, for those underage as well.
These such smoke clouds have plumed above Westview, as the school has noticed the regular and frequent usage of e-cigarettes on campus and more specifically, in the school bathrooms; a faint, musty odor of flavored fumes lingers in the stalls at all times. Staff have attempted to try to apprehend students in the act, barging into bathrooms, but that strategy has been met with varying levels of success. We are aware it’s difficult to catch students vaping, and even more so to stop them, so The Nexus suggests better educating students on the danger of vapes and focusing on preventative measures that would encourage avoidance of these devices altogether.
Informing students about the negative consequences of e-cigarettes is, first and foremost, a critical step toward prevention. The current ENS courses do cover smoking; however, the classes provide more of an emphasis on regular cigarettes and other tobacco products, like tobacco chewing gum. They only briefly teach about the danger of vaping. Further, the content shown on these subjects is outdated and inconsistent across online and physical ENS classes, not truly encapsulating the zeitgeist of modern-day smoking amongst high school students. Middle schools and elementary schools also display similar curriculums, far-fetched from the current reality of adolescent nicotine usage.
Students have turned to these electronic devices, at least in part because they believe them to be a lesser evil. In fact, the stigma around vapes isn’t as nearly distasteful or aggressive as that surrounding cigarettes. Behind the lure of the attractive, child-friendly flavors, vapes still contain heavy amounts of nicotine, making them just as addictive as cigarettes. Thousands of other poisonous chemicals within vapes, most noticeably Vitamin E acetate, have been directly linked to E-cigarette or Vaping Use-Associated Lung Injury (EVALI), according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Students are further not only injuring themselves, but also others, as second-hand smoke is extremely harmful, especially in a closed area such as the bathrooms.
Beyond updating the ENS curriculum, school-wide events, such as Red Ribbon Week, could address vaping, even having students themselves take a stand against this prevalent issue. One effective way to do this would be hiring speakers who have faced addiction to e-cigarettes and are able to more powerfully connect and empathize with users.
As for more drastic measures, smoking detectors in the bathroom, as has been recently implemented in institutions such as Patrick Henry High School, could also serve as a strong warning against e-cigarettes. These High Altitude Lidar Observatory (HALO) sensors are able to identify smoke without any cameras or recording devices, and immediately alert school officials. This not only would catch students in the act, but would also serve to prevent vaping, as students would realize they could be easily detected.
Above all else, the health and safety of students are a school’s top priority, and taking steps to prevent the onset of vaping addiction in adolescents is essential to serving that purpose.