How Are Nicotine Products So Popular?
Cigarette manufacturing machines were created during the Industrial Revolution, and they produced about 200 cigarettes every 60 seconds. Today, these machines make 9000 every 60 seconds. This was mass-produced at the time, so it made the process of spreading tobacco simple. At its start, tobacco spread like wildfire- and to this day, it has not slowed down. The tobacco industry quickly grew in power and strength, influencing politics as well. Smoking became a common thing culturally. During both world wars, free cigarettes were provided to allied troops to boost morale. Tobacco industries leeched on Hollywood in the 20’s. One of the most ridiculous phrases to see on a cigarette box would be “Doctors Recommend”, which was reality. Stars were paid to advertise cigarettes. In the 1950s, tobacco industries switched to a new medium: television advertisement.
The (Somewhat) Fall of the Cigarette
The first anti-smoking campaign was led by Nazi scientists in the 40s. They had discovered a link between cancer and cigarette smoking. The US followed briefly in the 1960s. For every cigarette commercial aired, there was also an anti-smoking campaign airing, to even the radio. In the last decade, anti-smoking ads became more aggressive to even the playing field against the large tobacco companies. Anti-smoking campaigns would show smokers expressing regret and discussing the effects on their health. Other ads would show blackened lungs compared to a healthy pair.
As anti-smoking advertising became more prevalent and aggressive, this enforced narrative of cigarette smoking being gross grew. Cigarette smokers would be ridiculed or loudly coughed at. Smoke breaks declined. Legislation also became a large part of this cigarette decline, such as health warnings on boxes and the ban of commercials endorsing tobacco use. By 2015, America had cut its smoking rate by more than half.
Age of the Vape
As time marched on, the reign of cigarette smoking slowly faltered to where it lay now- at the feet of a vape. Vapes were created in 2003 by a Chinese pharmacist with pure intention. They were made to cease cigarette smoking. Vaping was to be used as a temporary alternative to smoking. The original goal of vaping was to make the quitting process of cigarettes easier, as it is incredibly difficult to quit cold turkey due to nicotine’s addictive properties.
It’s no secret that e-cigarette companies are manufacturing their products with youth in mind. They use clear tactics to show who their real target audience is. E-cigarette companies are offering scholarships to students to write an essay on a given topic. E-cigarettes have also been a pawn in internet trends. In 2018, on social media, JUUL was the biggest trend. Teens would decorate their JUUL with stickers and post them online. JUUL had spent over 1 million dollars on online marketing. This specific e-cigarette brand was broadcast over Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. JUUL was shown as a way to have fun. There even is a PARTY MODE for JUULs. Young adults would be portrayed partying, having fun, and smoking their JUUL. JUUL used marketing strategies such as sex appeal. In 2018, e-cig use by middle and high schoolers had risen to 78%. More than 3.6 million middle and high school students have been using vapes. Vape companies would also appeal to the youth by sponsoring music festivals, which obviously targeted young adults and teenagers.
JUUL had been using flavorings such as crème brulee, fruity flavors, cotton candy, and mint. JUUL is not the only company at fault for using appetizing flavors. Companies to this day still sell silly sugary flavoring for their vapes. JUUL had found a loophole and removed the silly flavors but still sold their products. This did not really harm the audience as teens were already hooked so the flavoring was no longer a component. Vape companies offer kid-targeted flavors such as cotton candy, and gummy bears and even create vapes to mimic the shape of candy and sweets. The fall of JUUL led to the rise of disposable vapes.
The Xandemic (Drug Fads)
In the 2010s, peaking in 2018, there was a huge trend of taking Xanax in high schools. This phenomenon is referred to as the Xandemic. This trend spread rapidly as teens perceived prescription drugs as a ‘nicer’ drug than street drugs. Many teens were able to access the pill through family members or a dark web of purchasing. The Vapedemic is most similar, as both of these events highlight the addictive nature of teens and how fast a drug can become a trend. The Xandemic proves how far teens could and would go to gain access to a buzz or a high.
Teens had easy access to a prescription drug so, how are teens getting these vapes? From a poll, 70% of teens had not directly bought their own vape, and 80% had gotten it from a friend. Unfortunately, teens are able to purchase their vapes through retail locations. 74% of teens said they got their vape from a store or retail outlet. The FDA acted and sent warning letters to gas stations, convenience stores, and retailers. They were at risk of getting fined by the authorities. Many report that they had received their vape from a social source, such as a family member or friend.
Is It Really That Serious?
Is vaping an actual issue at Coral Springs Charter? Every year at the beginning of the year we have a large assembly per grade. Vaping and marijuana are covered each year at these assemblies. Vaping gets discussed by our beloved resource officer. The consequences and effects of vaping are also talked about. I can’t remember a time when vaping was not highly discouraged at Charter. Frequently, vaping and marijuana prevention are discussed at our school, which is fine. I think it’s great to discourage vaping and it should be vital for students to be aware of its effects. However, our bathrooms have been taken away. We are tracked when we leave the classroom. During any break time, we no longer can use the bathroom. This is a huge inconvenience.

Is vaping really such a problem here that we have to be severely inconvenienced each day?
Worth the inconvenience?
I went ahead and interviewed students at Charter about vaping. After anonymously polling a variety of 155 students in numerous grades, a whopping 82% of students have heard of students vaping in the bathroom this year. On a scale of 1-5 students were asked to rate how severe the vaping issue is at our school, with 1 being the least of an issue. Three out of 108 said it was a 1. Most students had said that it is a 3/5, meaning it is somewhat of a severe issue. Furthermore, 38% said that it is a severe issue. Only 17% had said they have been offered a vape at school. It is hard to get an accurate number of students, as they may feel pressured to lie about vaping if they or their friend does. This may only mean that the percentages can be higher.
To reiterate, currently our school enforces no vaping and follows with punishment. There is a sign in the girl’s bathroom stating only one per stall. During the ten-minute break, the bathrooms are locked. Whenever a student leaves the classroom, they must fill out a form on SmartPass, which alerts staff who is out in the hall, when, and even for how long. This can also be used to prevent certain students from being out of class at the same time, even if they are in different classes. There is security who roam the hall. Lockers can be checked at any time and students may be searched as well.
If our school is doing all of this, when does it stop being a prevention and start to become punishment to students who do not partake? If nothing has changed within the student body, then what more is there that could be done?
Teenage Vaping Is an Issue That Cannot Be Solved Through Locked Bathrooms
Referring to the Xandemic mentioned earlier, there was no real way school staff could help solve this issue. The most staff could do is try to determine when a student was high and report it. They could send the child to rehab or take legal action for drugs on campus. The issue with the Xandemic was that many teachers and staff were unaware of the problem. The Xandemic, fortunately, met its demise and is no longer a widespread issue. Doctors began to prescribe the drug less and less. This made the drug harder for students to get. Due to the inability to retrieve the drug, this destructive fad died.
The only way to solve teen vaping is to make vapes inaccessible for teens. If there were more regulations on quick-stop stores and multiplied the amount of anti-vaping awareness, then I truly believe that teenage vaping may come to an end. There is no possible way to end teen vaping in a school. Even if every student was patted down and searched right before entering school, kids would find a way around it. They always have. Encourage legislators to regulate vapes- and stop letting students who do not vape feel punished for it.