By Allyson Mata and Izzy Mach

Vaping has taken over high schools with new and different types of vapes coming out all the time.  Junos, Juuls, and Sorin’s are a few of the many different types of vape products teens are using in 2018. Most of the vapes come in all different shapes, sizes, and colors. 

Even though vaping can be easily hidden, the school is doing all it can to try and stop the situation.  School resource officer Justin Howe talked about what the school is doing to try and improve the situation & stop vaping.

“Around one student per week gets caught (vaping),” Howe said. “But someone can get caught in the library and they can travel in groups. It’s really concealable and harder to catch so it’s more than likely a group than one student.”

“More of them have come out and they have gotten smaller and can be concealed. When students have a long sleeve shirt on, they can easily take a hit of it and exhale it into their shirt.  We are educating the staff and teachers on the smell and look of the vape and what to look for. We also have staff that goes off and walks in the bathroom to try and finds out where the vaping is taking place. We try to target areas of concern.”

There are different consequences for vaping that can vary from in-school suspension, seeing a counselor, or attending a drug intervention program. If a student is caught more than once, dean of students, Chris Payton, and Officer Howe contact the student’s parents to make sure the student receives the help they need.

“The consequences increase and then we look to make sure resources are brought to the student and the family,” Howe said. “We also bring out resources from the police department to make sure the student gets the proper help.”  

One of the programs the school offers is Lighthouse, a professional counseling center located in Chicago. They give Individual, Child/Adolescent, Marital and Couples, Family, Group and Support groups. There are also concerns throughout the school that the student can also go see.

Vaping has a much different health risk. Even though there are no long-term studies, it still can harm the body. Vapes have nicotine in them, which is toxic and can harm the brain’s development in children and young adults up to the age of 20, according to NBC News.

New York University did testing on the vapor of e-cigarettes and the effects on DNA from humans and mice. The researchers found that the vapor damaged cells, increasing the chance of cancer.

“It is, therefore, possible that e-cigarettes smoke may contribute lung and bladder cancer, as well as heart disease in humans,” NYU researchers said.

Although e-cigarettes may not be as dangerous as regular cigarettes, there are still health risks involved. Students may be getting away with it now, but if it doesn’t stop there is a higher chance of these risks.