Vaping impacts high schools nationwide, as teens either vape themselves or avoid places where others may vape. Despite restrictions in some states, such as Massachusetts, on flavored vape sales, fruity flavors continue to make nicotine products more appealing to younger generations.
According to a Harbinger survey of 134 students conducted via Google Forms from Dec. 12 to Dec. 15, while only 6% of respondents reported vaping in the school building, 37% of respondents said they have avoided school bathrooms because of people vaping.
Due to their size, most vapes are small and easy to conceal, and without a potent scent, they can be less detectable.
“Vaping is more accessible than conventional cigarettes,” Adjustment Counselor Kelly Viera said. “People can vape anywhere.”
Viera believes removing the flavor can make vaping less appealing to teens, but won’t stop vaping completely. Health and fitness teacher Melissa Arvanigian agrees that the flavors add to the appeal.
“If they didn’t make it so attractive, people wouldn’t go that route because it wouldn’t taste good,” Arvanigian said.
An ARHS student who vapes, and has vaped on school property, believes the flavors didn’t contribute to their reason for vaping.
“The flavor didn’t really appeal to me; my first vape was disgusting,” the anonymous student said. “I liked it because it made me feel relieved in stressful times.”
The student explained that vaping in school had a social aspect and it felt like a cool thing to do.
“Any social dynamic is going to create peer pressures, and sometimes they’re good and sometimes they’re bad,” Assistant Principal Andrew McGowan said.
The social aspect of vaping can quickly lead to dependency.
“I think physically and emotionally it leads to addiction, and the accessibility makes it much more social as an activity,” Viera said.
The anonymous student said at this point they are addicted to the nicotine, not the flavor.
School nurse Heather Allen emphasized the dangers of vaping and its impact on people’s health.
“Really understand how it works in your body and what it can do to your body,” Allen said.
While McGowan explained there is a disciplinary consequence for vaping at school, Allen highlighted that ARHS has programs to help students struggling with addiction.
“There are online programs like ‘iDecide’ and a substance abuse coach in the building: enough steps to make sure people can get help wherever and whenever,” Allen said.
