Vapor pens on the rise

A new trend amongst the CVHS students has stirred up a lot of commotion lately. It is the increasing use of vapor pens on campus and even during class. Vapor pens are devices shaped like pens that one can use to inhale flavored water vapor.

Although many students use the water vapor kind, it still worries some people like junior Michael Ingerman.

“I think that vapor pens are a little dangerous. They don’t have the same negative effects as cigarettes, so kids don’t get the same repercussions. But they lead to the same bad smoking habits anyways,” said Ingerman.

Developing smoking habits is a major concern of parents and teachers. These “pens” could be a gateway device to cigarettes and even drugs like marijuana. The devices are easy to conceal and their vapor has no smell, making it hard for teachers to detect.

English teacher Elisa Frozena has had a few run-ins with this issue.

“I saw some students in my class passing a pen around and taking it to the bathroom. Since the students denied it and there is no way to search them, I couldn’t do anything,” said Frozena.

At CVHS there are different consequences for the different types of pens.  For the water vapor pens students receive a Saturday school. For the marijuana pens, the police are called and the student is potentially suspended. For use of the nicotine pens, students receive a Saturday school and must attend class informing them of the dangers and risks of tobacco use.

Another thing that concerns many is the fact that these pens are so easy to access. They are legal for adults ages 18 and above, but are easily accessible to all ages. They can be easily purchased online and are often sold at school.

According to a blog post by SmokeCartel, many like Assistant Principal Blaine Torpey think that the pens have become more popular because of the opening of the new store in town, Ready, Set, Vape, that sells vapor products.  Kids don’t even need a car, they can just walk right down there.

“I think that the spike in student use of pens is in correlation to the vape pen store opening, it’s easy access now,” said Torpey.

Some say that these pens are not that bad and in fact better than other drugs teens could be using. But those who assert this don’t always know the whole story and aren’t aware of the different kinds and the dangers that come with them.

Whether or not these pens could become a more dangerous threat to the school environment, their use is against the rules. Further steps to deal with the situation are being discussed by the administration.

“We’d like to get a PA service announcement so students know what the consequences would be if they use these pens,” said Torpey. “Hopefully by bringing more awareness to the issue and the fact that we are targeting it, it will help stop it.”