Sweetwater County School District No. 2’s Board of Trustees did a good job in recognizing and prohibiting vaporizers and e-cigarettes in a series of policy updates last week.
While one of the policy updates was voted down, it was done so for the right reason of bringing it in line with the other policy changes brought before the school board. It’ll be brought back and we’re sure it’ll pass next time.
While some may look upon the district’s decision to take a strict stance on vaporizers as an over-reaching move, especially in the case of student athletes whose actions off campus can be scrutinized, at its heart, its done to protect students’ health.
Recently, a study conducted by scientists at Harvard University found more than 75 percent of flavored e-cigarettes and refill liquids contain a chemical called diacetyl, which is linked to severe respiratory diseases. Diacetyl is linked to a condition known as “popcorn lung,” which originally earned its name after workers inhaling artificial butter flavoring developed similar lung diseases. The study also found two other harmful compounds commonly found in sweeter flavors that the study states is potentially attractive to younger people.
The Food and Drug Administration is looking at possibly regulating e-cigarettes and other similar devices, which means those products probably aren’t as safe as their proponents make them out to be. As such, they shouldn’t be brought to school and certainly shouldn’t be used by anyone under 18 years of age.
Admittedly, research into vaping still is somewhat murky, as studies with conflicting results have been published. For example, the British government recently released a study suggesting that use of e-cigarettes is up to 95 percent safer than smoking traditional cigarettes.
However, regardless of if vaping is safer than smoking or not, teens shouldn’t have access to those products.
Many retailers don’t sell those products to anyone under 18 years of age in the first place. Despite that, like tobacco and alcohol, those products do wind up in their hands. The idea that vaping is less harmful than smoking or drinking has helped the activity fly under the radar for a few years, but with the school district and possibly the Food and Drug Administration taking a much more strict stance on those products, maybe it will discourage teens from using e-cigarettes and possibly, breathe a little easier.
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