Wayne Dennard

ACWORTH

POLICE DEPARTMENT

Learn and Discuss Vaping Risks With Teens

BY WAYNE DENNARD

One of the problems facing our nation is drug and alcohol addiction. As police officers, we see this on a daily basis. Often, we come in contact with people who are plagued with drug or alcohol addiction, and, as a result, they engage in behaviors that lead them down the pathway to arrest and incarceration.

As a department, we spend a great deal of time reaching out to the youth of our community. I am concerned about teens who are engaged in risky " behavior, especially with drugs and alcohol. Most addicts are first exposed to addictive substances as teenagers, and a large percentage start out by smoking cigarettes.

Thankfully, fewer teens are using traditional cigarettes, but many are replacing them with vaping, which comes with many risks. Teens who use e-cigarettes are more likely to use tobacco products, and students who use tobacco products are more likely to use other substances, such as drugs and alcohol. Since the adolescent brain is not fully developed, individuals who use drugs and alcohol in their teens are more likely to develop addictions to these substances. This becomes more concerning when we realize that e-cigarettes can be used to vaporize THC oil (the active ingredient in marijuana).

While e-cigarettes do not utilize tobacco, research reveals that the heating coils in e-cigarettes release toxic metals into their vapor, and one of the most harmful metals found was lead. Vaping is marketed as a safer alternative to traditional cigarettes. However, for teens who are experimenting with smoking by vaping, it can become a gateway to other drugs. This is especially concerning since many e-cigarette companies are marketing to teenagers.

E-cigarette liquids are sold in flavors that appeal to teens. The e-liquids are sold in brightly colored packaging, some even with cartoon depictions. In the Wayne Dennard has served as chief since 1990s, the R.J. Reynolds company, which produces Camel cigarettes, was accused of marketing to children 2012 and has lived in this community for more than 40 years.

with their Joe Camel character. Ultimately, they settled out of court and paid millions of dollars. Juul, an e-cigarette brand popular with teens, has been criticized by the FDA for marketing to teens. As a result of government pressure, the company invested $30 million in an effort to prevent teen vaping. This is a good start, but campaigns to prevent teens from engaging in risky behaviors are seldom as effective as the thousands of social media posts (often made by teens), which glorify these products. So, what can we do to protect the children in our community? First, we must educate

Most addicts ourselves about the risks our children are accessing. We must be involved and are first exposed to addictive investigate. As parents, we must be more concerned with protecting our children’s futures than we are with protecting their privacy in our homes. We must know what the different types of e-cigarettes look like, and confront our children if we find anything suspicious. We must know where our children spend their time and with whom. We must know how our children spend their money, and we must substances as teenagers ..." know where our children spend their time online. As law enforcement officers, we must commit ourselves to identifying when teens are utilizing substances such as e-cigarettes and to intervene when we observe this risky behavior. Finally, as members of the community, we must be aware of the danger that vaping poses to our youth. It is my hope that by sharing this information, those in our community who interact with teens will take the time to talk with them and help them understand the risks. Teens will spend hours being exposed to vaping online, but a few minutes with a trusted adult might help them to make a healthier and safer choice in their own lives.