Nicotine has become a widespread issue throughout school that administrators have been trying to control. Although it is not in cigarette form anymore, a new trend called vaping has taken over.

It first started in schools with electronic cigarettes such as the juul and phix and later evolved into many other devices.

Throughout the school, you can often see students with these devices and even using them in class. In an article published by NPR, “The Pediatrics study asked 808 students in three Connecticut high schools each year between 2013 and 2015 if they used e-cigarettes or tobacco cigarettes in the last month. The first year, 8.9 percent of students used a vape pen and 4.8 percent of students smoked cigarettes in the last month.”

In a recent interview with dean Mr. Kennedy, he discusses the problems with vaping…

Q: Do you think vaping has gotten out of control?

A: “Yes, even one student is an issue. The chemicals are still bad for you, and it’s illegal to have in school regardless of age.”

Q: Do you think the vaping issue that serious?

A: “It’s gotten more popular in the recent past, not anything alarming, but there is still a small percentage of students who are causing problems.”

Q: Why do you think students continue to use e-cigarettes and vapes even though they’re aware of the consequences?

A: “The 3 main things in my opinion are: they’re addicted, [they] feed into peer pressure, and [they] want to feel acceptance.”

Q: How can we change it?

A: “We need to change the students’ perception, encourage better decisions, push for parental guidance, and educate the students more on the chemicals they are putting into their bodies.”

With vaping on the rise, schools should begin to educate kids on the dangers of vapes and e-cigs alongside cigarettes.