The Blaine County Journal News-Opinion - We've Got The County Covered

On Monday, December 11, Chinook students in grades 5-12 attended a Vaping Prevention presentation in the Lloyd Sweet Auditorium. Kris Minard, the Tobacco Use Prevention Education Specialist with the Office of Public Instruction (OPI), was joined by Jay Schuschke, the Montana Tobacco Use Prevention Program Prevention Specialist. Together, the duo shared the health risks of vaping with students.

To ensure that the information was developmentally appropriate, Minard and Schuschke spoke to the students in three separate groups: sophomores, juniors, and seniors represented group one; seventh, eighth, and ninth graders comprised group two; and fifth and sixth graders made up the final group.

Lasting approximately forty minutes, each presentation disclosed information about the dangers of vaping. The presenter pair told students that nicotine, which comes from the tobacco plant, is found in ALL tobacco products, including vape pods and e-cigarettes. They further revealed that some vape companies are trying to sell manufactured nicotine so they can claim it’s not tobacco. However, no matter what form it’s in, nicotine is the substance that gets a person hooked, and vaping products contain addictive nicotine. Because their brains are still developing, teens are more susceptible to nicotine addiction than adults.

Additional statistical information shared during Monday’s assembly suggested that teens who start their tobacco use by vaping are four times more likely to smoke cigarettes or to use other forms of tobacco. Although vaping companies attempt to convince the youth that their products are safe—that “it’s just water vapor”—the truth is that vape liquid is mostly made of oils and flavored chemicals that may not be safe to inhale. Scientists have found tiny particles in vapor clouds that are the same as those found in polluted air. Studies further show that many vaping products labeled “nicotine-free” still contain nicotine. These chemicals inhaled during vaping not only damage the lungs and heart but lead to agitation and stress. Furthermore, the e-cigarette devices used in vaping or “JUULing” can also be used to deliver marijuana and other drugs.

School personnel benefitted from the presentation as well, since Schuschke and Minard shared some of the modern vaping devices, which are designed to be hard to detect. Making it easier for teenagers to vape secretly, vaping devices masquerade as everyday items or personal belongings, including USB devices, pens, highlighters, and even Smartphone cases.

Additionally, Schuschke and Minard discussed how education can provide a key role in deterring this harmful practice. According to the presenters, if we educate ourselves about these disguised vaping devices and remain vigilant, we can intervene early and prevent young people from falling prey to nicotine addiction. Ultimately, open communication and awareness are crucial tools in addressing this growing concern in our communities.