The Battalion - October 3, 2019 by The Battalion

HAZY Texas A&M Chancellor John Sharp announced a system-wide vaping ban on Tuesday, raising questions about implementation, public health and the growing popularity of e-cigarettes.

THE BAN

THE USERS

THE CONCERN

Sharp says entire system should implement “as soon as possible”

Students discuss rise of vaping, what draws people to the habit

Medical questions remain, but doctors say some issues are certain

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pg. 6

pg. 6 Meredith Seaver — THE BATTALION

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The Battalion | 10.3.19

‘A political process’ A&M professors weigh in on House’s impeachment inquiry against Trump By Alyssa Gafford-Gaby @AGaffordGaby House Democrats opened a formal impeachment inquiry last week in the wake

of revelations about President Donald Trump’s contact with the leader of Ukraine. On July 25, Trump had a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in which he pressed Zelensky to investigate Joe Biden and his son Hunter, who was on the board of the Ukrainian energy company Burisma from 2014 until April of this year. Trump said during Joe Biden’s time as vice

via The White House Photostream

The phone call at the center of the impeachment inquiry was made public by a whistleblower the New York Times identified as a C.I.A. officer assigned to the White House.

president, he improperly intervened to protect his son’s business dealings by calling for the firing of a prosecutor who had been overseeing an investigation of Burisma. Trump has admitted that a week prior to the phone call, he withheld $391 million in military aid to Ukraine, which he allegedly used as leverage while talking to Zelensky. This phone call was publicized by a whistleblower, who the New York Times has identified as a C.I.A. officer detailed to the White House. Having cited “more than a dozen” U.S. officials, the whistleblower made the complaint out of fear of potential abuse of power and a White House cover-up. The official transcript of the telephone conversation was released on Sept. 24, coinciding with the initiation of a formal impeachment inquiry against Trump. Democrats leading the impeachment effort accuse the president of betraying his oath of office by using a foreign power to debase a rival for his own gain. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi announced the impeachment inquiry, calling Trump’s actions “a breach of his constitutional abilities.” Pelosi said the House would be focusing on investigating the Ukraine phone call in-depth, assigning the investigation to the House Intelligence Committee. The six key committees responsible for investigating other allegations involving the president will continue their investigations. The Intelligence Committee is being led by Rep. Adam Schiff and is comprised of 12 other Democrats and nine Republican members of the House. Trump and supporting Republicans say there was no explicit quid pro quo, but this may not be relevant as it relates to impeachment. Dwight Roblyer, a political science lecturer at Texas A&M, said the process of impeachment is a political action, not a criminal action. This means quid pro quo or criminal charges are not required to proceed with an impeachment inquiry. “The Constitution sets out the requirements for impeachment as treason, bribery or other high crimes and misdemeanors,” Roblyer said. “Most people agree that means a violation of trust. … It doesn’t have to be called some sort of crime because it doesn’t have to meet that standard, since it’s a political process.” There has never been a U.S. President removed from office, although two presidents have been impeached in U.S. history. Impeachment and removal from office are separate processes that are outlined in the Constitution. A&M journalism lecturer Tom Burton said although the basis for impeachment is rooted in the Constitution, political biases often taint the public’s view of how the process works. “When the general public just looks at this

as Democrats versus Republicans, they stop listening and stop looking at facts,” Burton said. “I think it’s important that people view facts rather than these notions of partisanism.” While two presidents have been impeached the impeachment process and removal from office lacks a solidified precedent. Moreover, this can often lead to complexity and confusion among the American public. Burton said the process is complicated and often confusing, but it’s necessary to maintain democracy and American ideals. “Impeachment is destructive and disruptive, whether or not you support the president,” Burton said. “I think it’s a good thing that we aren’t quick to jump to overthrow our leaders because there are plenty of countries that overthrow leaders every six months, and then they come back. It’s a dangerous cycle.” While the public may call for impeachment proceedings, only the House of Representatives has the power to initiate impeachment inquiries, as stated in the U.S. Constitution. First, there must be an official requisition made by the Speaker of the House. From there, the formal inquiry will be assigned to a committee to investigate the inquiry. Several investigations can occur at once and would be assigned to different committees. Once the investigations are completed and grounds for impeachment are reached, the formal inquiry ends. The House Judiciary Committee drafts articles of impeachment, which are then presented to the House. The House votes on each article of impeachment, and if any article receives a simple majority vote in favor of impeachment, the president or federal official in question is impeached. However, this does not mean they are removed from office. The process then will move to the Senate for a trial. According to the Constitution, the Senate has the sole power to try, but the Senate Majority Leader may hold a vote to dismiss the articles. If a Senate trial convenes, then the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court presides, House managers argue the case for impeachment and the president’s attorneys defend him. If this occurs, the president is summoned to address the charges; if he doesn’t answer the summons, it is assumed that the plea is ‘not guilty.’ Following the trial, the Senate deliberates in private and voting is done in an open session. To remove a president or an official from office, the Senate must have a two-thirds or super majority vote in favor of removal. If this majority is not met, the official is acquitted and remains in office, though they are still officially impeached. While a president has never been removed from office, the Constitution outlines that if it were to happen, the vice president would become president.

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LIFE&ARTS The Battalion | 10.3.19

Century of service A&M Women’s Club celebrates 100 years of involvement in Aggieland By Hollis Mills @sillohsllim In honor of 100 years of service in Aggieland, the Texas A&M Women’s Club will celebrate it’s anniversary with a gala on Friday. The A&M Women’s Club is a facultyand community-based organization seeking to unite Aggie women with a foundation and friendships to last a lifetime. From 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Oct. 4, the Women’s Club will commemorate its 100th Birthday Celebration at the Thomas G. Hildebrand Equine Complex with special performances from the A&M Women’s Chorus and Lil’ Wranglers dance group, while raising funds for the Endowed Opportunity Award Scholarship. Denise Parker, scholarships committee chair and co-chair of the anniversary committee, said this Friday’s festivities will bring friends together for a night of fun and fundraising. “We’re anxious,” said Parker, Class of 1977. “We’re ready to celebrate 100 years, and we are looking forward to seeing old friends who may have moved away from the area, but they’ll come back and celebrate with us as well. We’ll also be bringing some entertainment to our members and recognizing some of our scholarship recipients.” The night of, the club will attempt to raise $8,000 more to fund the next wave of recipients of the Endowed Opportunity Award Scholarship. The $25,000 scholarship is funded by the Women’s Club, managed by the Texas A&M Foundation and awarded to five high school students in the Bryan-College station community. Across a century of social volunteering, interest groups and community involvement, Parker said the Women’s Club has maintained as much interest in helping B-CS as it has in its members. “I believe that we just bring a camaraderie

to any Aggie,” Parker said. “If they’re in our organization, on campus or worldwide, becoming their friend being and their support person as needed is just bringing the core values of an Aggie to the community. Our club is in-depth with those relationships, and we create good friends.” As the club looks back on its years of A&M Women service, Parker said she is looking forward to what the next 100 years has in store. “We want to bring more women into the fold from the Aggie community,” Parker said. “We all get busy in our careers and our family life, and yet there’s a lot of women associated with Texas A&M who would like to have a group of friends that they can count on. We would like to bring them into our group with support and help.” Club Program Coordinator Sangita Sunkari said she is proud to be celebrating a century of women who helped other Aggies find their new home, just like her. “I’m from India, and now it’s about 19 years for me in the U.S.,” Sunkari said. “When I was very new here, I was working at the university and I was still very shy, especially coming from India and having a different accent. It was hard for me to fit in even though I was working, so I can only imagine how hard it must be for many of the women who are not working but stay at home and take care of kids and housework.” Sukari said she will always be grateful toward the Women’s Club for shaping her into the friend and mentor she is today. “I did not know about the club until much later, but when I did find the club, it was like a different world out there,” Sunkari said. “I got to meet all of these different people, and many of them were working at A&M and some of them were not. … I owe it to the club for making me come out of my shell and enjoying the new experiences in the Bryan-College Station area.” Admission to the A&M Women’s Club Birthday Celebration is open to public. Tickets can be purchased through the club’s Facebook page at $35 for a single attendee and $60 for a couple.

GUEST COLUMN

What We’re Given, What We Give Back Elizabeth Duncan ’22 and the ripple effect of selfless service. Tyson Voelkel

@Tyson Voelkel

owdy Ags, You may have noticed that, as you get older, the old-fashioned sayings of your childhood start to take on added weight. For example, your parents probably told you to “be yourself” about a thousand times as a kid, but it’s not until you go out into the world and learn how enticing it is to be someone else that you know what it means to live authentically. In the same way, I’ve reflected recently on the old adage that insists “to whom much is given, much is expected.” On the surface, that doesn’t sound so uplifting. It sounds like the incurring of a debt that must be repaid; and of course, that’s exactly what it is. No matter what good you’ve received or who you may feel indebted to—your family, your friends, your country— there will soon come a time in which you will feel the tug to serve others the way you have been served. Paying this debt forward, of course, is a good thing. In my life, I have always felt more joy in giving than I have ever felt on a gift’s receiving end. For this reason, I’m always excited to meet and learn about students whose career goals directly include helping those in need. One of these students, Elizabeth Duncan ’22, dreams of assisting women living in unbelievable poverty. Eliz-

abeth is a sophomore biomedical sciences major from Lubbock, Texas, who decided to attend Texas A&M University after receiving an Endowed Opportunity Award scholarship from the M.S. Doss Foundation through the Texas A&M Foundation. Before she sent her first college application, Elizabeth set her sights on becoming a doctor and healing people halfway across the globe. Inspired by a mission trip she participated in during high school, she dreams of opening a medical clinic in rural Nepal, where more than 40% of women are HIV positive and lack the resources to fight the spread of the disease. Even though she’s only taken the first steps of her journey, Elizabeth is already exhibiting the good that Aggies can do when they devote their skills to helping others. What’s more, she’s in Aggieland because her generous donor decided to invest in passionate students. Just as they gave selflessly to her, she may one day give selflessly to save strangers’ lives. This is the powerful ripple effect of selfless service, and we at the Texas A&M Foundation are proud to serve a university that values service and leading by example as much as Texas A&M. Thanks and Gig ’em, Tyson Voelkel ’96 President, Texas A&M Foundation

PROVIDED

The Women’s Club’s 100th Birthday Celebration at the Hildebrand Complex is open to the public.

THE CHALLENGES OF U.S. NATIONAL SECURITY DECISION MAKING

Leon E. Panetta

Former Secretary of Defense and Director of the CIA

Thursday, October 10, 2019 Reception: 5:30 p.m. Lecture: 6:00 p.m.

Annenberg Presidential Conference Center 1002 George Bush Drive West, College Station, Texas ACCEPTANCES ONLY BY MONDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2019

OPINION

The Battalion | 10.3.19

Impeachment

face-off

Creative Commons

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi announced on Sept. 24 that the House would open a formal impeachment inquiry against President Donald J. Trump.

Zachary Skrehot says impeachment is a slippery slope Zachary Skrehot

@Zachary43546580

ancy Pelosi’s announcement of an impeachment inquiry is a welltimed political stunt meant to distract voters and ensure that the Democrats regain control of the White House in the 2020 Presidential election. By ignoring House precedent and forgoing a formal vote to initiate the inquiry, Pelosi is kickstarting yet another attempt to remove the President from office on insubstantial grounds. Our country is in a divisive state. As a result of extremists on both sides capturing social and news media’s attention, political parties are more polarized than ever before. An impeachment vote would most certainly amplify this polarization. It is not in the best interest of our political system to use impeachment as a strategic tool. I will not defend the president if there are grounds for a conviction. However, unless that evidence surfaces, impeachment proceedings are a misuse of our government leaders’ focus and effort. Pelosi previously stated that her support of a formal impeachment inquiry requires two things: bipartisan support and public support. As of last week, she has neither of those. A Politico/Morning Consult poll for Sept. 24 to Sept. 26 shows that only 43 percent of voters supported impeachment (10 percent of Republicans were in favor of impeachment). Keep in mind the impeachment process involves both chambers of Congress. While Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton were impeached by the House, no president has ever been convicted and removed from office by the Senate. If this were to happen, it would seriously undermine the authority of our government in the eyes of other countries. The United States currently has a global leadership approval rating of 30 percent — its lowest in the past three administrations. I would expect this rating to slip even further if we were to convict our president. As a result of poor foreign support, our government has lost much of its “soft power.” This intangible asset is essential in the success of our deals with foreign countries. In the past three years, China and Germany passed the U.S. in terms of foreign approval. Unless this is remedied, America may begin to lose allies and trade partners to

other global superpowers. In September, the Federal Reserve cut interest rates for the second time in two months. The prior rate cut in July was the first since 2008. This action is usually intended to stimulate a slowing economy. Many market analysts are predicting a recession in the next 12 to 18 months. If a recession were to come, the federal reserve would have little room to cut low interest rates, leaving our economy in an extremely vulnerable position. Markets tend to over-respond to two emotions: excitement and fear. Impeachment is likely to incite fear in many institutional investors and may send us into a recession much earlier than our government and economy are ready for. Last week was not the first call for impeachment from Democrats since Trump’s election. Frequent and fruitless talks of impeachment show a lack of control in the Democratic party. This is not a surprising matter, as Democrats have recently made other attempts at abandoning our system of government by defiling the electoral college and putting thoughtless radical speakers on their frontlines. There was no quid pro quo agreement in the phone call with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky back in July. The White House has cooperated and released a transcript of the call, which includes discussion on issues related to the Biden family. The whistleblower complaint that prompted the subpoena for the transcript was submitted because of concern over a potential violation of federal campaign finance law. However, the Department of Justice’s criminal division determined there were no campaign finance violations apparent in the transcript of the call. After receiving input from other departments, the DOJ has concluded there were no egregious legal matters requiring further action. Article 2 Section 4 of the U.S. Constitution states “The President, Vice President and all civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.” In accordance with prior cries for impeachment, there has been no conviction of any of the listed crimes. Zachary Skrehot is an accounting senior and opinion writer for The Battalion.

Keerthana Rameshbabu says impeachment is a must Keerthana Rameshbabu

@keerthana_rb

resident Donald Trump is a racist, greedy, misogynistic liar and an overall spoiled brat. While these characteristics may make him a horrible person, they are not things for which he can be impeached. However, that changed in July when Trump decided to use his leverage with a foreign official to ask for aid in the next election. Trump gravely abused his power, and Congress should remove him from office — plain and simple. No matter how some Republicans may try to play it off, what Trump asked of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky falls under “treason, bribery and other high crimes.” These are what the Constitution lists as impeachable offenses. Two days before the phone call, Trump froze $391 million (that Congress had already approved) from being sent to Ukraine. Clearly, he intended to hold the money as leverage in exchange for looking into Joe Biden. During the call, Trump asked Zelensky eight times to look into Biden as a “favor” to the United States. He also repeatedly stated that the U.S. has been “very, very good to Ukraine,” insinuating Zelensky needed to do something in return. While President Zelensky may have (hesitantly) stated Trump did not push him, Trump was trying to bargain with money, and that qualifies as a bribe. However, this crime is way worse than just bribery. The $391 million came from Americans’ pockets. Trump used taxpayer money to ask for a personal favor, which is an immense abuse of power as well as a betrayal to all Americans. What’s worse is that Trump and his White House aides attempted to cover it up. The word-for-word transcript of the call was initially locked away because Trump knew what he had done was wrong. According to Federalist No. 65, “violation of public trust” is an impeachable offense. The fact that this is only one of the countless questionable actions taken by Trump is all the more reason to impeach. Earlier this year, Michael Cohen’s testimonies revealed that Trump’s workers lied for him regularly about matters such as colluding with Russia. That means this is the second time Trump has asked for foreign aid in an election, which is hugely con-

cerning. After the Mueller investigation fizzled out, Trump grew confident that he could get away with anything. He even said the words, “I have the right to do whatever I want as president” at a rally. This sort of haughty entitlement is incredibly dangerous in the hands of the most powerful man in the world. After the Ukraine call, it is clear that Trump believes he has unrestricted power, and he will continue to misuse it unless Congress stops him. Some Democrats fear an impeachment inquiry will only embolden Trump and his supporters, but letting fear obstruct justice won’t help the country. It is Congress’ constitutional duty to hold the president accountable for his actions. Though some in the GOP state an impeachment inquiry will benefit Trump, there is no evidence of this. Polls show an increase in voters identifying as Independents and Republicans favoring impeachment after the whistleblower complaint emerged. Moreover, Trump can feel the effect of this shift because he is growing uneasy. In his panic, he is only getting himself in more trouble. On Monday, Trump stated he was looking to find the name of the whistleblower, which is a violation of laws that protect officials who leak such information. Over the weekend, Trump’s “Civil War” tweet had people saying the president was threatening violence if Congress removed him from office. That tweet itself is grounds for impeachment, according to Harvard Law Professor John Coates. When Trump and his allies are tensed about his future in the White House, it would be cowardly for Congress not to proceed with impeachment. Trump has many unethical characteristics, but Democrats only want to impeach him based on facts and evidence, which is why this should not be a partisan issue. No matter what party they belong to, if a sitting president attempts to gain aid from a foreign country secretly, they should be removed from office. If Barack Obama had done what Trump has, there is no doubt Republicans would have wanted him out of office immediately. So why are they making an exception for Trump? This president has demonstrated countless times he is unfit to run the country, and the Ukraine call is the last straw. If Congress ignores this issue, Trump will only grow more dangerous. Impeach him now. Keerthana Rameshbabu is a university studies freshman and opinion writer for The Battalion.

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AR Photography will be set up to have your FREE portrait taken for Texas A&M University’s 2020 Aggieland yearbook. ALL CLASSES WELCOME: WEEK 3: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. in the Sanders Corp Museum Library until October 17th! Place your order for the 2020 book while you are there. It’s just $65, plus tax and shipping. If you are unable to make the specified times on campus, contact AR Photography for a complimentary in-studio appointment at 979-721-0306. Graduating seniors who wish to set up a cap/gown photo can contact the studio, too. Cap/gown sessions are $21.95 in studio and $79.95 for a 30-minute location session. It’s your yearbook. Be in it.

SPORTS

The Battalion | 10.3.19

AROUND THE SEC

Sports content sponsored by:

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A LOOK AT THE CONFERENCE FOR WEEK 6 By Jackson King @MrJacksonTKing

Week 6 in the Southeastern Conference saw Alabama outmatch Ole Miss, Auburn cement its place near the top of the SEC West and Vanderbilt finally pick up its first win of the season. While several SEC teams, including Texas A&M, do not play this week, there are many interesting games across the SEC for fans to tune into, including a top-10 matchup with playoff implications. Let’s look at what’s happening around the SEC this week.

No. 7 Auburn (5-0) at No. 10 Florida (5-0) Saturday, Oct. 5 — Ben Hill Griffin Stadium — Gainesville, Florida 2:30 p.m. on CBS In the premier matchup of the weekend, the Tigers travel to The Swamp to face battle-tested Florida. Both teams have impressed this season, with a win further cementing their case in playoff consideration. Auburn is looking to build its resume with another road win against a ranked opponent. Offensively, freshman quarterback Bo Nix has steadily improved all season, having his best performance in Auburn’s last game against Mississippi State, where he completed 76 percent of his passes while contributing 390 total yards of offense and two touchdowns. As the season has progressed, the development of Nix offensively, plus the strength of Auburn’s defense, has put the Tigers in national conversations. Florida is looking to continue its upward momentum, as the early-season success has put the Gators in position to challenge Georgia for the SEC East. They must be careful though, as Florida has a tough upcoming schedule, facing off against Auburn, No. 5 LSU and No. 3 Georgia over the next four weeks. The Gators have seen steady improvement from their offense over the last three weeks. Since losing Feleipe Franks in the fourth quarter against Kentucky, Florida quarterback Kyle Trask backup quarterback has performed exceptionally well, helping lead the comeback against the Wildcats before doing good in wins against Tennessee and Towson. Whoever can limit their mistakes and help lead their offense down the field will be the difference-maker in this top-10 matchup. Prediction: Auburn 24, Florida 17

No. 3 Georgia (4-0) at Tennessee (1-3) Saturday Oct., 5 — Neyland Stadium — Knoxville, Tennessee 6 p.m. on ESPN While Saturday’s game between Georgia and Tennessee does not look impressive on paper, this SEC East showdown features a familiar matchup of rivals led by two former Alabama defensive coordinators. For Georgia, a win against Tennessee would be its eighth win over the Volunteers in the last 10 years, further cementing the Bulldogs’ place at the top of the SEC East. This season, the Bulldogs started off hot, with a close win over No. 9 Notre Dame keeping them entrenched in the playoff conversation. Led at quarterback by Jake Fromm, and with a rushing attack that is top-3 in the nation in terms of yards per attempt, the Bulldogs have a potent offense similar to the 2017 Bulldogs that went to the National Championship. Tennessee, on the other hand, is looking for a doover, as its season has turned into a tumultuous mess, with home losses against BYU and Georgia State. If the Volunteers are to win, they will need quarterback Jarrett Guarantano to limit mistakes and keep Tennessee in the game with his arm. Prediction: Georgia 30, Tennessee 7

Vanderbilt (1-3) at Ole Miss (2-3) Saturday, Oct. 5 — Vaught-Hemingway Stadium — Oxford, Mississippi 6:30 p.m. on SEC Network As two of the teams near the bottom of the SEC, Vanderbilt and Ole Miss enter Saturday looking to build momentum for the second half of the season. For Vanderbilt, a win against Northern Illinois gives the Commodores hope of turning around a season which started with blowout losses to Georgia and LSU. The Commodores are led on offense by graduate transfer quarterback Riley Neal and senior tailback Ke’Shawn Vaughn, who ran for 138 yards and a touchdown in their win over Northern Illinois. Ole Miss enters the game after a disastrous loss to Alabama, in which the Rebels gave up over 400 yards through the air. Despite their defensive issues, the Rebels continue to put out a high level offense, with the Ole Miss rushing attack averaging just under 200 yards rushing per game. With depth at tailback, led by senior Scottie Phillips and freshmen Jerrion Ealy and Snoop Conner, the Rebels possess enough firepower on offense to outmatch the underachieving Vanderbilt defense. Prediction: Ole Miss 31, Vanderbilt 7

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Season Update

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The Battalion’s sports staff offers its thoughts on No. 25 Texas A&M’s season as the Aggies head into their first bye week. A&M is using the week to regroup from losses to then-No. 1 Clemson and then-No. 8 Auburn before hosting No. 1 Alabama at Kyle Field on Oct. 12. A tough schedule will follow for the Aggies as they close out the season on the road at No. 3 Georgia and No. 5 LSU.

Luke Henkhaus, Editor-in-Chief Samantha Mahler, Managing Editor Sanna Bhai, News Editor Camryn Lang, Asst. News Editor Hollis Mills, Life & Arts Editor Meagan Sheffield, Life & Arts Editor Hannah Underwood, Sports Editor Brian Bass, Asst. Sports Editor Jane Turchi, Maroon Life Editor

Meredith Seaver, Photo Chief Henry Mureithi, Opinion Editor Cole Fowler, Asst. Opinion Editor Lexi Ellis, Social Media Editor Daoud Qamar, Multimedia Editor Robert Castro, Asst. Multimedia Editor Demi Navarro, Asst. Multimedia Editor Brady Stone, Page Designer Sydney Clark, Page Designer

THE BATTALION is published Thursdays during the 2019 fall semester (except University holidays and exam periods) at Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843. Offices are in Suite L400 of the Memorial Student Center. News: The Battalion news department is managed by students at Texas A&M University in Student Media,a unit of the Division of Student Affairs.Newsroom phone: 979-845-3315; E-mail: editor@thebatt.com; website: http://www.thebatt.com. Advertising: Publication of advertising does not imply sponsorship or endorsement by The Battalion. For campus, local, and national display advertising call 979-845-2687. For classified advertising, call 979-845-0569. Office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Email: battads@thebatt.com. Subscriptions: A part of the University Advancement Fee entitles each Texas A&M student to pick up a single copy of The Battalion. First copy free, additional copies $1.

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Some people are sitting in large churches, sitting on their gift of music, singing, dancing, etc. Our tiny mission church has volunteer openings for your talent! Contact Pastor Ed Udell, Sr. New Victory Temple 1115 Detroit, College Station, TX 77840 (832) 919-4966

NEWS

The Battalion | 10.3.19

Meredith Seaver — THE BATTALION

A study by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration found that 3.6 million middle and high school students were current e-cigarette users in 2018, up from 2 million the year before.

Vaping in Aggieland ‘Bottom line – don’t do it’ Ban sparks renewed discussion about the rise of e-cigarettes By Rebecca Morris @RebeccaSheWrote In light of the new vaping ban to roll out on Texas A&M campuses, the discussion about e-cigarettes has been brought up once again, especially among current vapers. The popular alternative to smoking has been a topic of controversy for the past few weeks due to recent reports of vaping-related lung illness — over 800 cases nationwide, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. President Donald Trump’s administration has made moves to ban the sale of most flavored vapes, citing concerns about the flavors attracting young people. In response to news about the upcoming ban at A&M, communicationjunior Stephen Huh said he doesn’t condone the government regulating citizens’ private lives. “I think it goes completely against the premise of this country, being that you can do whatever you want as long as it doesn’t hurt or damage any other citizen of this country,” Huh said. “If Michael Young is saying that he’s thinking about regulating vaping on campus, I would say that I’m sure that it comes from a good place. However, I don’t agree with it because he is the president and presides over what I would consider grown adults.” In addition to the freedom of personal choice, many people tout vaping as a healthier alternative that can help tobacco addicts quit smoking more carcinogenic cigarettes and other tobacco products. Three years ago, Huh switched to vaping from using cigarettes and dip, a habit he had sustained throughout his time in the Marines. “The biggest thing for me was [that] I was coming up on what was my ‘10year anniversary’ on smoking cigarettes,” Huh said. “That number really sat uncomfortably with me, that I could claim that I had smoked cigarettes or used tobacco for 10 years. At that time,

what came up was e-cigs or vapes, so I looked to the alternative, and as far as I knew, that was something that looked pretty good to me.” However, psychology senior James Radke said he’s worried that the original purpose of vaping has changed since its inception. He said its nicotine content, sweet flavorings and minimalistic design draw more people in — especially teenagers. “The only issue I see is that some people see it as something to start on rather than a cessation aid for cigarette users,” Radke said. “It used to be people that were wanting to quit cigarettes, but now it seems like every new class comes in with an addiction.” Despite the new Tobacco 21 law raising the legal age to purchase nicotine products, many students were “grandfathered in” and can still buy vapes and cigarettes as long as they were 18 before Sept. 1. Nuclear engineering senior Quincy Huhn said while he knows vaping is prevalent among young people, he hasn’t seen it very frequently around campus. “I think [vaping] is pretty terrible, and the only real benefit to it is a way for people to be able to quit smoking,” Huhn said. “But beyond that, I feel like the way that they’ve made it cool for kids to smoke has been not great at all and very much degraded our society to an extent.” The medical world is starting to explore the effects of vaping devices, though the long-term health impacts are not fully documented. Huh expressed concern that e-cigarettes’ addictive properties are keeping kids attached to their vapes despite the potential consequences. “That’s something that has reminded me of my original goal I had when I started vaping — to become independent of nicotine,” Huh said. “I’ve gone to different doctors’ offices where they ask me if I use tobacco products and I was able to proudly proclaim that I haven’t used tobacco products in many years, but the truth is that I’m still addicted to nicotine and that is, in the end, a problem.”

Medical professionals explain widespread health concerns associated with vaping By Jackie White @jackie_white21

Texas A&M doctors say that while many questions about the health effects of vaping remain unanswered, there are plenty of reasons for students to steer clear of the habit. Vapes, otherwise known as e-cigarettes, began as a supposedly healthier battery-operated alternative to cigarettes. However, these products still contain addictive nicotine and can create additional problems of their own. Although popular e-cigarettes like Juul do not contain tobacco, they do contain chemicals that doctors believe may be the cause of recent outbreak of pulmonary health issues among users. According to the Centers for Disease Control Prevention, smoking is the “leading cause of preventable death” in the U.S. It is recommended that unless someone is trying to quit smoking cigarettes, they should not use an e-cigarette. However, the prevalence of vaping has grown among young people, with the Food and Drug Administration reporting in 2018 that 3.6 million middle and high schoolers were current e-cigarette users. Although vaping’s popularity has been on the rise, Dr. Tiffany Skaggs, chief of medical staff at Beutel Health Center, said e-cigarettes have been around since the early 2000s. “We used to think that [e-cigarettes] were safer than cigarettes and it looked for a while like maybe they were, because you are not inhaling something burning into your lungs,” Skaggs said. “But over the past few months, there has been this vaping-related pulmonary illness.” The symptoms of this pulmonary illness are severe shortness of breath, wheezing, need for supplemental oxygen and sometimes respiratory collapse. Skaggs said health researchers are investigating the issue closely. “It seems to be a quick-onset severe inflammation of the lungs where people recover very quickly if they survive,” Skaggs said. “It is too early to tell because we do not have long-term follow up.” Skaggs said the good news is that this illness is reversible if it is caught early enough. There are still other, if less severe, symptoms caused by vaping. For example, nicotine, which is a stimulant, causes racing of the heart or anxiety, while cannabidiol — used in some vaping products — could cause fatigue. “It all depends on what is in the vape,” Skaggs

said. “There are a lot of different concoctions you can buy. Some have nicotine, THC, marijuana or synthetic cannabinoids.” Skaggs said although pulmonary illness is generally rare, due to increased use of vaping products, adolescents are visiting doctors for pulmonary issues more frequently. “We have enough people vaping where we can start to see these effects of this rare disease,” Skaggs said. “Most cases are in people aged 20 or less. We do not know if this is because the lungs are not fully developed yet — no one really knows exactly why.” Dr. Garry L. Gore, A&M campus EMS medical director, said students have become increasingly wary of potential side effects from vape and e-cigarette use. “We have had students come in that are concerned symptoms they have are related to vaping,” Gore said. “Students are getting the message that there is something bad about it and that we don’t fully understand what is causing it.” It is young adults that are most affected by vaping-related illnesses and symptoms, and Gore said there are multiple reasons for this. “One part of it is the social aspect,” Gore said. “It is ‘cool’ to be a part of that crowd and do that. The other is that the manufacturers made a lot of different flavors. … Often, you can find something you really like.” Aside from the pulmonary and respiratory-related issues, nicotine addiction is an issue in and of itself, and it’s difficult to stop cold turkey. However, there are various methods and resources to help. Gore recommends students go into the clinic and talk to medical professionals about their options. “There is not any benefit for vaping — it is just a nicotine addiction,” Gore said. “We know nicotine stimulates blood pressure, heart problems, which puts you at risk down the road for the same things tobacco puts you at risk for.” Gore said one way medical professionals have tried to encourage adolescents and young adults to stop vaping is by using social issue appeals. He said that Generation Z students are particularly agreeable to adapting for social causes. “One of the things we are finding with the e-cigarettes is that a lot of the little cartridges get thrown on the ground like a cigarette butt,” Gore said. “One of the ways we would approach reducing e-cigarette use is the detrimental effect it has on the environment in terms of plastic waste.” Gore said the answer to whether or not to vape or smoke e-cigarettes is a simple one. “Bottom line is, don’t do it,” Gore said. “That is all there is to it. There is no good reason to vape.”

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The Battalion | 10.3.19

Ban to cover ‘every inch’ Sharp’s memo says vaping must be prohibited across entire A&M System By Luke Henkhaus and Sanna Bhai @luke_henkhaus & @BhaiSanna

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Citing a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Chancellor John Sharp announced a ban on vaping across all universities and state agencies in the A&M System.

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A memo released Tuesday by Chancellor John Sharp announced a ban on vaping throughout the Texas A&M System, though details of the ban remain somewhat up in the air as system institutions work to implement the policy. Sharp’s memo cited a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which has recorded 805 cases of lung injury and a dozen deaths in which a history of e-cigarette use or vaping was a common factor. “We, as a society, are facing a serious health risk that we are just beginning to understand,” Sharp wrote. The chancellor emphasized the urgency of his concerns, directing the leaders of the A&M system’s 11 universities and eight state agencies to put the ban in place “as soon as is practical.” “I would like to see the ban in place today,” Sharp wrote. “But I understand the practicalities of running major institutions.” In College Station, the policy is on its way to becoming a reality, though an official timeline has not been announced. A university statement released Tuesday evening by Amy

Smith, senior vice president and chief marketing and communications officer, said University President Michael K. Young has initiated a planning process for the ban’s rollout. “President Young is meeting with university leadership who will confer with student, staff and faculty leaders and will determine the precise timeline and expectations for the flagship to comply with this directive,” the statement said. Sharp credited Young with inspiring him to call for the ban, writing in his memo that Young’s actions “could be saving the lives of those within The Texas A&M System.” To avoid taking “unnecessary chances” with the health of students, faculty and staff, Sharp said the mandatory ban will be extended to “every inch” of the A&M System, including every building, outside space, parking lot, garage and laboratory. “The ban also should extend to every facility of our $950 million research enterprise and all System properties in the 250 Texas counties in which the Texas A&M System has a presence,” Sharp wrote. In his memo, Sharp also said it would be “appropriate and responsible” to end the sale of e-cigarette products or vaping paraphernalia if there are any such points of sale within the system. BAN ON PG. 8

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Tim Eaton, executive director of marketing and communications for the A&M System, said the chancellor’s decision has put the system on the “cutting edge” of this issue. “A lot of the news that has come out about vaping and its dangers has the system and the chancellor concerned, and concerned enough to take some pretty serious action,” Eaton said. As described by the memo, this ban will be distinct from the system’s policy on smoking, which Sharp noted is banned across most, but not all, system property. On the flagship campus, university rules on smoking and tobacco currently apply to traditional forms of smoking such as cigarettes and pipes as well as all forms of smokeless tobacco and vaping products. According to the rules, use of all these is generally limited to designated spaces at least 25 feet away from university buildings. Lt. Bobby Richardson with the Texas A&M University Police Department said officers respond to reported violations of these rules, with most calls coming in on home football game days. Across the country, other schools and colleges including Kent State and the University of Akron have placed total bans on vaping or simply added e-cigarettes to their broader campus-wide bans on tobacco prod-

ucts. The City University of New York’s prohibition of vaping extends to individual vehicles parked in campus parking lots. As students returned to school in Maine this semester, the state rolled out a ban on vaping across all its campuses. In Massachusetts, the sale of all vaping products will be suspended for at least four months following an order from Gov. Charlie Baker. Back in Aggieland, A&M’s ban will inevitably have its own effects on sales in the surrounding community, said Vapor Cave general manager Michael Claus. He said he disagrees with the decision to crack down specifically on vaping while cigarettes and smokeless tobacco products are still allowed in some areas. However, vaping is enjoying a particular bump in popularity among young people. The Food and Drug Administration’s National Youth Tobacco Survey found that 3.6 million middle and high school students were current e-cigarette users in 2018, up from 2 million the year before. As Inside Higher Ed reports, “College administrators are inheriting a group of students who find e-cigarettes quite appealing.” With more research needed to understand the long-term effects of these relatively new devices, Eaton said the A&M System’s move to ban vaping could help prevent issues down the road. “I think there will be a lot of students that will be glad that any health threats will be hopefully avoided,” Eaton said.