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The bars in the graph show the percentages of
students that said they'd used each product in the
past 30 days. |
In today’s society, when walking around the local mall or going to a high school party, seeing a cloud of smoke in the air isn’t uncommon. Students today do not seem to understand the consequences of vaping. Vaping is another form of electronic cigarettes that inhales certain gases into a person’s lungs. Companies started producing vapes to help adults who are addicted to smoking cigarettes. They believed that creating an electronic cigarette would help people stop smoking, and for some it did. Unfortunately many younger people are purchasing these e-cigarettes. Teenagers of all ages have begun to use vapes both in and out of school, causing administrators lots of frustration. Purchasing vapes from other students or even selling them in school is quite common, as well as students using the vapes on school property. By spreading the idea that vaping is the new trend and makes you look cool, the number of students vaping has skyrocketed. Students continuing to vape both inside and out of school could result in many issues such as getting kicked out of school and sports teams, bathroom issues, and health problems.
If an athlete is ever caught vaping or having a vape on them, severe consequences are bound to take place. While A.J Vega, an Ohio high school student, was playing basketball at the school court, a vape pen fell out of his pocket on to the cement. Standing nearby was his coach who asked if the vape belonged to him. A.J admitted that the vape was his, and was suspended for the entire football season. By making a foolish decision to vape, A.J could no longer take part in the sport he loves. Many students in schools who are caught vaping in the bathroom or in class are usually suspended for a given time, but still end up vaping again. School administrators are trying to figure out a way to prevent or even stop vaping, but seem to lack the knowledge of how students sneak the vapes in. Many kids will disguise their vape as a flash drive, and some will even stash them into their shirts or pants. By taking part in vaping, many students are risking their education as well as being part of a sports team.
The most popular spot for students to vape inside the school building is of course the bathrooms. Teenagers will make stops in between classes or during lunch to purposely vape in the school restrooms. Francis Thompson, a Connecticut principal, noted how “In the past year or so we’ve noticed an increase in the number of students going to the bathroom and they are spending more time. What we found the common denominator was: They were vaping.” (NBC News Teen Vaping is ‘Rampant’) By doing so, many students who don’t vape are suffering from the consequences. Many students in the Wilmington High School have been caught vaping, which has resulted in more than half of the boys bathrooms being locked throughout the entire school day. This has caused many disruptencies with both male students and teachers. With only two to three bathrooms opened, boys can’t find a bathroom quickly, making them late for class. A WHS male student says it takes him “about five to ten minutes” to find a bathroom. That’s five to ten minutes of class time wasted trying to find a bathroom. He also says that whenever he returns to the class after going to the bathroom, his teacher gets mad and asks why it took him so long. Students who vape in the bathrooms also cause the bathrooms to constantly smell like fruit, and some Juul pods have even been found on the floor. Those who vape in school bathrooms are causing issues for other people as well.
Vaping can lead to many dangerous health issues that shouldn’t be occurring when you’re a teenager. When toxicologist Irfan Rahman asked young vapers of their health issues, many responded with reports of bleeding mouths, throats, and bloody sores that take a long time to heal. Overtime,
research has shown that vaping at a young age can cause vapers cough, which is similar to chronic bronchitis. Some major health issues resulted from vaping include lung disease, increased heart rate and blood sugar, bronchitis, type two diabetes, and even cancer. These diseases could end up being fatal, but yet students still think that it’s enjoyable to vape. Teenagers do not seem to be aware of the medical issues that result in vaping. When Dr. Kirsten Hawkins, a pediatrician, was asking a twelve year old patient if he vaped, she “found it fascinating that he did not realize the risks associated with a nicotine assistance device.” (NBC News Teen Vaping is ‘Rampant’) Students need to become aware of the health risks that could affect their future as an adult, and that vaping causes devastating health problems.
Vaping at a young age is a huge issue inside and outside of school. By continuing to vape, many students are risking their chance at a successful future as an athlete or scholar, causing issues with the school bathrooms, and are exposing themselves to harmful diseases. In order to educate kids on how harmful vaping is, they should be taught at a young age that vaping and Juuls are bad for them. In health class, teachers could spend a couple classes explaining to young children what vaping is and why it is bad for you. As for older students, I believe that harsher consequences should be set to ensure that students will stop vaping in school, and that health teachers should expose them to more risks of vaping. If students continue to vape, the issues already occurring could potentially become worse.
CITATIONS
"Schools Respond to the Rise of Student Vaping | Edutopia." 29 Jun. 2018, https://www.edutopia.org/article/schools-respond-rise-student-vaping. Accessed 22 Oct. 2018.
"Teens have figured out how to be sneaky while vaping in school." 29 Apr. 2018, https://nypost.com/2018/04/29/teens-have-figured-out-how-to-be-sneaky-while-vaping-in-school/. Accessed 22 Oct. 2018.
"Concerns explode over new health risks of vaping | Science News for ...." 25 Apr. 2017, https://www.sciencenewsforstudents.org/article/concerns-explode-over-new-health-risks-vaping. Accessed 22 Oct. 2018.
"Father sues school after son suspended from football team." 27 Oct. 2017, https://usatodayhss.com/2017/father-sues-school-after-son-suspended-from-football-team-for-having-vape-pen. Accessed 22 Oct. 2018.
"Is teen vaping really an epidemic? These experts say yes - NBC News." 15 Sep. 2018, https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/teen-vaping-really-epidemic-these-experts-think-so-n909891. Accessed 22 Oct. 2018
"Teen vaping soars past cigarette use | Science News for Students." 28 Apr. 2016, https://www.sciencenewsforstudents.org/article/teen-vaping-soars-past-cigarette-use. Accessed 22 Oct. 2018.
"Side Effects of Vaping: New Studies and Researches ... - Vaping Daily." https://vapingdaily.com/what-is-vaping/vaping-side-effects/. Accessed 22 Oct. 2018.
"Up In Smoke—The Truth About Vaping - Toledo Parent." 31 Jul. 2018,
research has shown that vaping at a young age can cause vapers cough, which is similar to chronic bronchitis. Some major health issues resulted from vaping include lung disease, increased heart rate and blood sugar, bronchitis, type two diabetes, and even cancer. These diseases could end up being fatal, but yet students still think that it’s enjoyable to vape. Teenagers do not seem to be aware of the medical issues that result in vaping. When Dr. Kirsten Hawkins, a pediatrician, was asking a twelve year old patient if he vaped, she “found it fascinating that he did not realize the risks associated with a nicotine assistance device.” (NBC News Teen Vaping is ‘Rampant’) Students need to become aware of the health risks that could affect their future as an adult, and that vaping causes devastating health problems.
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