Beyond the cloud, the reality of youth vaping

By: Noah Leija

Sparta High School has struggled in the past few years with students using the bathrooms to vape. This problem isn't just one grade or a demographic of students; it's a whole-school problem that stems from addiction and boredom.

Sparta High School has struggled in the past few years with students using the bathrooms to vape. This problem isn't just one grade or a demographic of students; it's a whole-school problem that stems from addiction and boredom.

Students Seth Ryerson and Noah Leija went around the high school interviewing Mr. Landry, the school's vice principal, as well as the school's Dean, Mr. Tulsma, and here's what they  had to say " When students vape at school it can create disciplinary and safety problems. We want our school to be a place where students can focus and learn. Vaping doesn't only become a health problem but it can also distract students and lead to missing class.” The school has a strict no vaping policy and continues to implement many new rules each year.

During the interview, Mr Landry made the point of “Vaping is a serious issue, because it can affect students' health, learning, and overall well-being. Many students don't fully know or understand how addictive nicotine can be or the long lasting effects it has on the lungs/body," clarifying the long-term battles and struggles that you will have to face from the effects of vaping. After speaking with Mr Laudry, we talked to some students and peers at Sparta High School. Some of the questions we asked our peers were: How often, when, and where people were vaping and getting away with it at school. From the data we collected, we found that the average person sees at least 3-4 vapers a day, from before the first bell to the parking lot after school, though the main place every interviewee mentioned was the bathrooms. 

The American Lung Association has many studies and research on how vaping can lead to harmful and sometimes fatal situations. Here are some common toxic chemicals that are found in vapes: formaldehyde, Acrolein, and Diacetyl. These chemicals can cause lung disease and cell damage; constant use of these chemicals causes chronic inflammation and irreversible damage to the lungs' small passageways.

After quitting the bad habit, the average person's lungs take 2-3 weeks to see little to no improvement. Chronic symptoms like coughing or shortness of breath can take up to a year or longer to resolve; serious fibrotic structural damage may be irreversible. When fresh direct chemical injury stops, your respiratory tissues trigger several intrinsic biological repair mechanisms to restore normal function. Do not vape.