Geauga Schools Confront National Teen Vaping Epidemic
May 9, 2019

Just when public health announcements successfully lowered the statistics on teen smoking, a new device burst onto the scene to tempt teenagers into nicotine addiction.

Just when public health announcements successfully lowered the statistics on teen smoking, a new device burst onto the scene to tempt teenagers into nicotine addiction.

E-cigarettes, commonly known as e-cigs, vape pens, vapes or tanks are small, electronic devices that allow teens to get a dose of nicotine cloaked in fruity smells and flavors.

They reached a peak audience with the JUUL brand, which are small, able to fit into the palm of your hand and at first glance, could be mistaken for a USB drive. In fact, users can charge their batteries from USB ports on a laptop or computer, according to JUUL.com.

Since JUUL debuted in 2015, it’s soared to popularity, accounting for 72 percent of all e-cigarette sales in the United States, according to truthinitiative.org.

When a starter kit — containing the device along with four flavors that contain 5 percent nicotine each — can be purchased for only $29.99, price seems to presents little roadblock to teenagers’ ability to obtain them.

While the company website engages in an age-verification process, that does not prevent the device or competitors from being sold online elsewhere — a fact reflected by statistics showing between 2017 and 2018, there was a 78-percent increase in teen vaping usage, according to the Federal Drug Administration.

Geauga County is no exception, which has spurred local school administrators to establish safeguards, prevention programs and deterrents.

Douglas Murray, principal of Chardon High School, said since last May, there have been 67 recorded instances of vaping.

“We are living in an ever-changing world in which we need to adapt to and proactively educate, evaluate and provide tangible and systematic behavior changes for our students,” Murray said. “Every school is facing this in the world. Vaping doesn’t discriminate to which child it wants to tempt into this driving addiction.”

Chardon High School has added e-cigarette use to its community education programs, with the dual goal of educating parents on how to recognize the devices as well as deterring student use through raising awareness of the potential health effects of e-cigarette use.

As noted by the surgeon general, nicotine taken in any form can have detrimental effects on teenagers’ developing brains. Additives and flavorings found in e-cigarettes carry risks from exposure to diacetyl — which has been linked to lung disease — benzene, a pollutant found in car exhaust, and heavy metal intake to include nickel, tin and lead.

The devices come in two parts, with the electronic cigarette connecting to a pod filled with liquid. Depending on the brand, the user has to push a button or simply inhale to receive a dose of nicotine. The resulting vapor leaves no familiar tobacco smell, dissipating almost immediately, according to the National Institute of Drug Abuse.

The relative ease of access, fun flavors and easy-to-hide use has made e-cigarettes a problem nationally with 10.9 percent of all eighth-graders having tried vaping, the NIH reported, adding the number of users rises to 37.3 percent by the time students reach 12th grade.

Underage use has become so endemic, the FDA has taken steps to curb e-cigarette appeal to minors.

Scott Gottlieb, FDA commissioner, proposed restrictions to e-cigarettes to include how and where they are sold in March of 2019, and declared e-cigarettes a national epidemic.

The Geauga County Juvenile Court has also seen a “major” increase in vaping cases, said Geauga County Juvenile and Probate Court Judge Tim Grendell in a statement.

“Vaping is not safe for juveniles and opens the door to the harmful use of marijuana and cigarette smoking,” he said. “ Recently, a 12-year-old and 14-year-old who had been charged with lacing vape pens with marijuana, ended up testing positive for both marijuana and cocaine, meaning their vape pens had been laced with both. The 30 years of government efforts to convince kids that smoking cigarettes is unhealthy is being used by the vape companies to mislead kids into thinking that vaping is a healthy alternative, even though nicotine is still addictive and unhealthy for anyone, especially for those whose brains are still developing.”

Grendell said the reality of the situation is vaping is becoming a precursor to cigarette use and may actually be causing more people to start smoking cigarettes than those who would have without being introduced to nicotine through vaping first.

“The court has been contacted by several local high schools who have described they are experiencing a big vaping problem and have even had to post teachers in the restrooms during breaks,” Grendell, adding the court believes an emphasis needs to be put on a minimum age for the sale of vape pens and accessories, similar to the age restriction on cigarette sales.

“On the national level, it would be very helpful if online sales of vape pens and accessories to minors could be better restricted,” he added.

Kenston High School Principal Tom Gabram confirmed he has seen an increase in vaping, but said it is difficult to trace use in the school.

“The majority of the students who choose to vape during school will vape in the private restroom stalls during class or during transition,” he said. “When this occurs, you don’t even know if someone is vaping because there is no smoke produced. We have discovered that most students exhale into their sleeves to absorb the vapor, literally producing no smoke or odor. Unless a student is vaping out in the open, it is difficult to prove.”

Much like Chardon, Kenston has also taken an educational approach to help curb the disturbing trend.

On March 3, 2019, Kenston hosted an informational and awareness training on e-cigarette use for staff and teachers, lead by Bainbridge Township police officer Brian Reardon.

While Kenston has had discussions on vaping previously, this marked their first and largest group training on the matter.

Jay Bishop, principal of West Geauga High School, also concurred e-cigarette use has been on the rise in his school.

His response was to host education outreach programs for teachers, parents and students in the district, featuring guest speaker Dr. Ellen Rome, director of adolescent health for the Cleveland Clinic.

Mike Mikes, a health teacher at West Geauga Schools, attended a professional training seminar with Bishop in order to begin incorporating prevention education into his classes

Bishop devoted the first newsletter of the year to vaping education.

“As long as students are using these devices, this is something that I will continue to present more educational information on to our parents so they can look for them and continue to have conversations with their children about them,” he said.

While the health hazards of combustive cigarettes are well known, the potential health ramifications of e-cigarettes are still being discovered.