Hempfield High School is facing the same problem that numerous schools across the US are facing: the teenage vaping epidemic. In 2022, it was estimated that 14% of high schoolers in the US vape. One of the principals at Hempfield, Mr. Conrad, reported that students are caught vaping almost every day and are caught either in the school bathrooms or from Safe2Say reports. Mr. Conrad also stated that Hempfield High School is “really cracking down” on this vaping problem.

The effects of vaping on the body are detrimental, especially to teenagers. Vapes contain the addictive and toxic chemical, nicotine, which can be harmful. According to CNN, vaping increases the risk of respiratory disease as well as exposure to lead and uranium, which could lead to harming the brain and organ development. Other effects of vaping include cardiac problems, asthma, and lung disease. In 2019, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) reported that teens who vape are more likely to start smoking. This vaping epidemic is affecting learning at school as students are skipping class to vape in the school bathrooms. Many students at Hempfield High School meet in the bathrooms to vape together, this not only normalizes substance use but also poses a health risk. Additionally, students report avoiding certain bathrooms where people typically vape.

Tobacco companies have been guilty of advertising to young and naive teenagers, and vape companies advertise fruity and candy flavors to encourage teenagers to vape. In fact, in 2019, JUUL Labs, an e-cigarette company, was sued for $438.5 million for targeting their products to teenagers. This led to JUUL Labs agreeing to discontinue marketing that included cartoons.

Other schools in the US are finding different solutions to this vaping problem, including vaping detectors. School districts can pay for this technology because of the money from the JUUL labs settlement. Several school districts have installed vaping detectors, which are usually installed in bathrooms and locker rooms. These vaping detectors are meant to discourage vaping and detect vaping at school. However, the downside of this precaution is that students may become sneakier when hiding their vapes to avoid being found during a search.

Last year The National Youth Tobacco Survey stated the use of vapes among teens has decreased from 14.1% to 10%. Although vaping among teens has declined, there is still a concern about the possible risk that vaping may lead to addictions to other substances.