At Tuesday’s Calhoun County Schools Board meeting, to say that it was a “hodge podge” of information wouldn’t do it justice. It was three hours of multiple student awards, concerts, presentations, teachers and student displays and explaination, board reports, decision making, voting and let’s not forget the snacks. Calhoun is always good at feeding people! In the Calhoun Middle High School’s defense it was their one time to shine for the school year as the Local School Improvement Council presents what great things are happening in their school. But with that being said, as a grandparent, news reporter / whiny woman who’s been in meetings all day, I need to say nobody got their just dues in that meeting. Because most everyone wanted to leave by the second hour. But what really got lost in all the good news was a snip it of information provided by Gina Stump – Assistant Principal, David Gaul – Principal and Kelli Whytsell – Superintendent who each mentioned in passing the issue with Vaping in the school.
What Is Vaping? In case you may not know: Vaping is the inhaling of a vapor created by an electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) or other vaping device. E-cigarettes (or “vape pens”) heat a liquid until it becomes a vapor, which is inhaled. The liquid (e-liquid or “vape juice”) can contain nicotine or it might contain marijuana, distillate or oil. It could also contain any number of poisonous concoctions that a student or adult wants to put in it. E-cigarettes can be refillable or pre-filled with cartridges containing the e-liquid. The pre-filled e-cigarettes (called “Puff Bars”) are designed for one-time use. After taking a certain number of “puffs,” the user throws the device away.
It’s not cheap:
Disposable vapes: $5-$10
Pod systems: $10 – $30
Vape pens: $15 – $35
MTL starter kits: $30 – $60
Those are the typical prices, but it can cost much more. All vapes have a heating element (a coil) that needs to get replaced. Because of that, you have to include the cost of coils in your calculations. The coils—which can come in pods, cartridges, or little metal housings—usually cost in the $1-5 range per. They need to be replaced about once a week (but sometimes longer in between). The e-liquid amount varies but pre-filled can cost $3-7 per unit.
The health risks of vaping include:
- addiction: E-cigarettes contain nicotine, a drug that’s highly addictive. You don’t have to vape every day to get addicted.
- anxiety and depression: Nicotine makes anxiety and depression worse. It also affects memory, concentration, self-control, and attention, especially in developing brains.
- becoming a smoker: People who vape are more likely to start smoking regular (tobacco) cigarettes and may be more likely to develop other addictions in the future.
- impotence: There is some evidence that vaping can cause sexual dysfunction in men.
- sleep problems
- exposure to cancer-causing chemicals
- chronic bronchitis
- lung damage that can be life-threatening
Other health effects are possible that we don’t yet know about. Vaping hasn’t been around that long, so its health risks aren’t all known.
I listened as Assistant Prinicpal Gina Stump very tearfully told me of the fear she has for students involved in vaping. That was heart wrenching. But the greatest shock of the evening was when Principal David Gaul said of the 40 incidents of vaping youth being caught in November, he thought that was likely only about 10% of the actual number of incidents. 400? Four hundred incidents of students vaping! While we were in the School Board meeting the vape detectors in the bathroom went off four times within a few hours.
Just as it was when I was a youth starting to smoke cigarettes at 13, there is no concept of the danger. For cigarette smoking it’s a danger that generally will effect your health years down the line. Not so with vaping. Nicotine affects your brain development. This can make it harder to learn and concentrate, it effects mood and attitude. Addiction is very real. The vapor inside of e-cigarettes is not made from water, but rather harmful chemicals and very fine particles that are inhaled into the lungs. This is a conversation that need to take place in every family. If there is a possibility of 400 incidents each month in the school, what is the odds your child is involved or exposed.
Ridgeview News’ question is “Who’s the supplier?” These kids aren’t getting those vapes from a vending machine in the school lobby. There is somebody supplying and bringing them in and I can guarantee you it’s big money. Perhaps the snack money, or event money you trusted your child to use for a fun, safe event. But a wicked person, of ill intent chose to target your child with a much deadlier option.
Helping children understand the dangers is happening in the school. But we need more. We need education at home, in the car, in written materials, in graphics, on social media, whatever it is that will help them understand they’re being targeted just like the deer in the woods. And the people targeting them don’t care if they die. Because if they did, they’d never put that option in front of them.
