Dueling with the Juul The threat of vaping-related illnesses has administration worried and ready to take action to protect the health of students BY ELLA KRUG
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here once was a time at Valley when you couldn’t walk into the bathroom without seeing a group of students huddled together, passing around a Juul and being hit with the sweet scent of mango. Oh, how times have changed. Or so we think. With all of the recent vaping-related illnesses and deaths, Principal Sue Ross has made it a priority of hers to diminish the amount of vaping that goes on in the school. So far, according to Ms. Ross, her plan seems to be working. “I’ve heard no complaints about vaping in the bathrooms at all this year,” Ross said proudly. This is most likely due to the teachers and other staff members who are stationed outside, watching and keeping an eye on the amount of people in the bathroom. The E-Hall Pass, dreaded by many students, was also implemented this year to control the vaping situation. “The E-Hall Pass helps us monitor how long kids are gone. It helps us monitor where they’re going,” Assistant Principal Bill Gulgert said. “We’re going in just as often as we did before but I think having people right there has changed some things.” In 2019, an outbreak of vaping-related illnesses occurred, raising concerns for parents and adolescents alike. As a result of the news, Snapchat created a story of teenagers ditching their vaping devices in eccentric ways, such as flushing them down toilets or tying them to balloons and releasing them into the air. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the affected individuals experience coughing and shortness of breath before eventual hospitalization. As of September 20, 8 people have died, causing the Trump administration to make plans to ban most flavored e-cigarettes. Many states and cities have already started to take action. Michigan became the first state in the United States to ban flavored e-cigarettes followed by
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Teachers Kelly Cockrill, Erin Boldin, and Cynthia Sweatte chat while monitoring the bathrooms in the science hallway. photo | Alison Pike
the state of New York . A new law in Virginia sensors do exist but it would cost up to raised the minimum age to buy tobacco, $20,000 to install them in all of the restrooms. including cigarettes and e-cigarettes. Earlier Turnbull is unsure if there are ways to stop this year, San Francisco also banned the sale vaping in the restrooms because someone of flavored tobacco products. addicted to nicotine will find a way to do it Vaping in bathrooms is an epidemic in no matter what. And with all of the vapingschools across the country. Anyone who goes related illnesses, it’s unlikely that teenagers to Valley knows the frustration of having are going to completely stop because of them. restrooms shut down, a method administration “I think an addict is going to be an addict, once used to try to reduce vaping. Many and that continuing to vape is much easier students have developed strong opinions about than quitting, no matter how scared a person the situation and how it personally affected is,” Turnbull said. “I think it’s a tragedy that them. so many companies “I think it sucks. I think that geared their products when you do things like that, towards young people you’re not thinking of anyone but to grow their business yourself and it can be harmful to and now these the people around you,” senior teenagers are paying Delaney Turnbull said. Turnbull for it with their herself struggles with asthma health.” and scar tissue built up in her Snapchat, a lungs. As a consequence, it’s popular form of difficult for her to breathe all the social media used by time. Her asthma is set off easily teenagers, has been by vaping and walking into the noted to promote public restroom just opens up the vaping devices in ads opportunity for another attack. between stories. The Instead, Turnbull has to use FDA even warned the bathroom in the nurse’s vaping companies Math teacher Andrew Koch monitors a bathroom in the office. But with the new policies about using social math hallway. photo | Alison Pike administration has set forward to media influencers to reduce vaping, such as the bathroom promote their products. monitors, Turnbull should be able to It’s safe to say that use the normal restrooms, right? Wrong. although vaping is still occurring in the “Some people have told me that there bathrooms at Valley, there has definitely been are still people vaping in there and it isn’t some progress. A few students have shared worth taking a chance,” Turnbull said. Even that they can walk into the bathrooms without though many school policy changes have facing an onslaught of Juuling adolescents. been made, students still seem to be vaping. As for those who still vape in the school, And the bathroom monitors are nothing but Turnbull has a simple piece of advice for bothersome to some students. them: “I don’t think having teachers outside “I just think people should try and be more of the bathrooms is anything more than an considerate of the people around them, though invasion of people’s privacy,” Turnbull said. that isn’t likely,” Turnbull said. There are very few ways to deal with the vaping situation and limited options. Nicotine-
