Caleb Howard

Over 22 million E cig users and store owners are being negatively affected by the proposed ban of flavored juices, many adults are displeased by this, demanding they keep their flavors and vape products as it keeps them from cigarettes.

Virginia Governor Ralph Northam recently signed a new law banning E cig products in schools across the state. Teens are using vapes at a rapid rate and are under the impression they are safer than cigarettes which is proving it is just as harmful. “ It’s a health concern really, we want to keep our students safe and healthy” said Dr. Oscar Scheirl RCPS superintendent.

He shares great concern for the safety and well beings of the students. On the topic of student health Radford University has taken a stance on the use of this product and smoking in general. In order to reduce the amount of harmful toxins in the air and added risk to the safety of students and faculty Radford has created a policy against smoking.

They define smoking as “the burning of tobacco or any other material in any of smoking equipment , including but not restricted to cigarettes, cigars, or pipes”. This is aimed more towards electronic devices. Since more youths are transitioning into Vapes and weeing off tobacco.

Some of the policy rules include not being able to smoke indoor and enclosed locations owned by the school, no smoking within 25 feet of the entrance of any building or facility, prohibited in all university vehicles whether state owned or leased and prohibited in all outdoor facilities so they make it clear not inside or outside.

An interview was conducted amongst a random Radford Student that was a vape user and it shed light on to the life of a vaper, Alex Pascarella a 22 year old senior at Radford University has been vaping since he was 16 so a total of 6 years. He started because at the time it was a popular thing to do amongst his peers and the high school student body.

He turned to E cigarettes because he wanted to turn away from tobacco products such as cigarettes and smokeless tobacco named dip. Even before the time of the new law change from 18 to 21 the young man still found ways to get his fix. When asked if he was addicted to nicotine he admittedly said yes, his addiction however was stronger to actual tobacco and believes he could quit E cigs but fears he could potentially relapse.

Although he was affected by the age limit ban once he turned 18, for roughly a month he was unable to purchase his vape juice. Instead of finding someone like he has in the past, he used this a tolerance break and eventually quit being a user of nicotine products.

Meanwhile, as this story continues to develop, the Virginia Department of Health has reported six confirmed cases of lung disease associated with vaping. For more

information can be found at: http://www.vdh.virginia.gov/environmental-health/2019/09/09/vaping-and-lung-disease/

Caleb Howard