Vaping at LHS has become a serious risk for the health and safety of students. While both admin and students recognize the issue, the problem persists in bathrooms, outdoor spaces and even hallways.
Apart from the easy access that vapes allow, vaping has become prevalent at schools due to its lack of smoke or scent, which is one of many reasons students tend to use e-cigarettes over regular cigarettes. One LHS student, who asked to remain anonymous, said e-cigarettes are more convenient, which is why they are common.
“You can hit it basically anywhere,” the student said. “People hit it in class, people hit it in the bathrooms, people hit it in their cars. You can’t do all that with a cigarette.”
Lawrence High nurse Carol Casteel is aware of students vaping in the building, and says students have been found vaping everywhere, including the nurse’s office restroom.
“They could do it right there in the classroom, too, when teachers aren’t looking,” Casteel said. “It’s easy.”
There are many reasons why vaping appeals to young people, which is in part because of the brands that sell them. This led USD 497 along with many other school districts to file a lawsuit against Juul, a large e-cigarette company, for its advertising to minors.
The district is eligible to receive about $284,000 under a settlement the district signed off on earlier this year. It’s part nearly $3 billion the company has agreed to pay in connection to lawsuits.
Casteel supported the district’s lawsuit, and felt as though vape companies specifically target teens through their variety of flavors.
“They’re like cotton candy, candy and fruity and all those,” said Casteel. “That kind of lures teenagers and younger kids even easier than back when I was a teenager just having cigarettes.”
“It’s more of that process of showing their friends how cool they are and how they can get away with it.”
— Mike Gillman, assistant principal
Vaping and nicotine have various damaging health effects. E-cigarettes have carcinogens which cause long term lung damage, which can be irreversible. Nicotine, which is found in nearly all of these products, is a highly addictive drug and it is difficult to quit. The anonymous student said high schoolers know the risks of nicotine, but believes they don’t care.
“I think people are just influenced by it because it’s everywhere in our culture,” the student said. “I feel I got influenced by people and then I just kind of got addicted to it.”
Administrator Mike Gillman said these students are making adult decisions when deciding to vape.
“I think kids just think they’re cool,” Gillman said. “It’s more of that process of showing their friends how cool they are and how they can get away with it.”
While the district has not made plans on what to do with the Juul settlement funds, or planned how to spend it, these funds are designated for education on youth substance use and addiction. With that being said, Gillman does not believe education would significantly lower the amount of students who vape.
“There’s always going to be somebody that breaks the rule or somebody that tries to one up the system or try to hide it,” Gillman said.
The anonymous student said there should be an alternate method of vaping education. While they also believed vaping can’t be completely prevented, they have set a big goal for themselves.
“I think I am going to try and quit at the end of this year,” the student said. “It doesn’t make you feel that great after a couple years of doing it.”
