RALEIGH COUNTY, WV (WOAY) – West Virginia has the highest rate of teen vaping in the United States.
The vapes your kids typically reach for contain the nicotine content of three cartons of cigarettes. With more than 27 percent of high school students reporting current e-cigarette use, that’s nearly 10 percent higher than the national average.
This is a significant public health issue for the Mountain State.
Companies market vape products as a safer alternative to traditional tobacco products, which the National Institutes of Health calls a misconception, as vaping still exposes users to harmful chemicals and much higher nicotine concentrations.
“We’re seeing an increased number of THC vape products as well,” said Raleigh County Sheriff’s Office School Resource Division’s Sgt. Lonnie Carper. “The THC vape products actually can result in a level four school punishment, which can lead to expulsion as well as legal punishments on our end, being charged with drug possession for marijuana.”
According to the Cleveland Clinic, it isn’t water vapor. Mist from vapes can contain particles of nicotine, flavoring, and other substances suspended in the air.
Vape use has become so widespread among teens that they don’t realize the health implications, as well as the consequences if they bring a prohibited item to school.
“Even though it’s just the (concentrated) oils, it’s still considered marijuana when it contains the active ingredient, THC,” Carper said.
The kids can be charged at the school level, as well as the legal level.
“We do the best we can at the school level to enforce it, as these infractions are brought to our attention by word of mouth,” said the school resource officer about accountability. “Hopefully, kids get the message when their friends have been charged, expelled, or fined and have to pay expensive fines.”
And using these devices has led to well-documented medical issues.
“Even at the school level,” Carper said. “Students who haven’t had much exposure to these things will try it for the first time, and we have to call an ambulance to come and get them because they don’t realize the physical effects of taking these substances.
