Vaping is on the rise in many Tennessee middle and high schools. There is a state law prohibiting the use or possession of such products on school grounds, but one month into the new school year 342 students in East Tennessee have been caught vaping or in possession of vaping related items. With the significant increase in reported lung ailments that appear to be connected to vaping, it is not a stretch to identify the items as being potentially dangerous products.
Police officers who work in the schools, also known as resource officers, are doing their best to combat what is considered to be a growing epidemic. It is illegal for children under 18 to vape, but the officers are more interested in educating kids regarding the dangers of vaping rather than seeking their incarceration. The vapers may face fines that can range from $10 to $50 and, in addition, may have to appear before a judge.
Teachers and fellow students are also trying to combat the crisis. The dangers of vaping are being included in health class curricula at both the middle and high school levels. Concerned high school students have come up with an initiative called Project U that creates public service announcements and creates informative literature for parents.
In spite of all of this, students continue to vape and are becoming craftier and more creative about hiding it. Clothing exists that allows you to conceal the vapor by blowing into what looks like the drawstring on a hoodie. There is a device that resembles a smart watch that is actually an e-cigarette.
While the long-term effects of vaping are not fully known, it is known that many people are experiencing serious, and sometimes fatal, lung ailments that appear to be connected to vaping. The items connected to vaping and the juices used in vape devices appear to be dangerous products. If a family member has experienced a lung ailment that may be connected to vaping, a consultation with a personal injury attorney in Tennessee can apprise one of what legal options may be available.