In recent years, students have been known to use e-cigs and vapes inside of school facilities. According to the CDC, 19.6% of high school students have reported e-cigarette use in 2020.

David Erdelyi (‘23) said, “I have vaped [previously]. My friends were doing it… [they] sort of peer pressured me into it… some of them are still vaping, others have started to quit.”

Erdelyi (‘23) has stopped vaping. He said, “It didn’t feel good after a while… when I wanted to play sports it made it feel tough. It was hard to breathe after a bit and I felt weak.”

He continued, “[After I quit], I could breathe better and I could do longer activities without having to stop suddenly.”

Another student, who wishes to remain anonymous and still vapes said, “I think I was 12. [I was] with my best friend… I don’t remember why I started.”

When asked about facing the consequences of both getting caught and general health issues, they said, “I wouldn’t really care if I got caught… of course I know the consequences of vaping, but it helps with my anxiety and stress.”

They said, “I would be able to quit tomorrow, I’m not addicted… I do plan on quitting in the future.”

Some students who have seen others vaping in school who have chosen to remain anonymous, claim they’ve mainly seen it in the G and D-wing bathrooms.

“It was [during] second period, about 9 [to] 10 a.m., they were outside the stalls… only one was vaping that I could see,” one student said.

The Mead High SRO Officer Coleman said, “We get daily reports from bathrooms and tennis courts… [but] minimal people are [actually] caught with vapes on them.”

According to Officer Coleman, a first time offender is documented by the school. If someone has two or more offenses, they have to take an online vaping education course. It is also up to administration if the SROs get involved or not, but administration and officers work closely together to educate students about the danger of vapes. Coleman says that in some cases, if a student keeps vaping on campus and is involved in multiple offenses, they will move forward to the next legal level and take them to court.

When Coleman was asked what she would tell students who vape, she responded, “Don’t do it. Any chemical substance you put into your body is going to chemically affect the growth of your brain… just don’t do it.”