The SASD vaping policy has been in effect for about a month. Since the policy has been enacted, many changes in the school have occurred. The administration has locked and removed doors on bathrooms, and school security on school lavatories has increased. As a result, many students have trouble accessing bathrooms, and some even claim that their rights are being violated as a result of the vaping policy.

“It is understandable that the staff is trying to crack down on the students vaping in the bathrooms, but those of us that have no interest in that sort of thing feel that it is quite a disturbance that we have to walk all around the school to find an open bathroom, or when we finally do find one the doors are taken off,” said junior Collin West. 

However, many students feel that the policy is important to implement, since so many students vape and don’t get caught. 

“It is easier to hide than regular drugs, and more often than not the smoke smells like perfume or candy,” said an anonymous student.  “I personally haven’t walked in on anybody yet, but I have had multiple friends tell me about how they have. I honestly haven’t seen much change besides for people trying to hide it better.” 

Many SHS staff claim that the vaping policy is necessary to implement as well. “I believe that putting the policy in the student handbook will be a positive in the long run,” said English teacher Ms. Ashley Krause.

“We don’t know yet what the oils are doing to the lining of the lungs, it could be just as bad if not worse than cigarettes,” said an anonymous SHS teacher.  I still hear of students finding ways to vape and juul in school, and sometimes they are caught but not every single time.” 

There are even some parents who have gotten involved in the vaping policy, heavily supporting it. Many parents believe that vaping has negative side effects, and that it’s important for high school students to be positive role models for younger children in the SASD school district.

“I wouldn’t feel comfortable knowing my high school child is around peers who may influence him to believe that it is okay, and that there is  no harm in vaping, while he has a younger elementary level sibling that thinks everything he does and says is cool,” says high school parent Angelina Thompson. 

Even worse, parents are worried that vaping can lead to addiction. “When I was young we were told there was nothing wrong with smoking nicotine cigarettes, we smoked those all the time without knowing what it was doing to our health, now a bunch of us are addicted for life,” said teen parent Annmarie Gentile  . “It was just the cool thing to do back then, just as vaping and juuling is now. We never listened to the adults with their conspiracy on how it could be bad. I just don’t want the younger generations to go down the same path, it’s vaping this year, what about next year.”