It's not just media buzz. Really. The number of students who have picked up this habit - and it is a habit involving serious drug substances and side effects - has skyrocketed among young people. To combat this growing threat, the state of Texas passed a new law effective Sept. 1, 2019, raising the legal age for vaping or smoking from 18 to 21.

Spring Branch ISD (SBISD) also prohibits the use of tobacco and e-cigarettes at all SBISD schools and facilities, buses, playgrounds and at athletic and after-school events. Any student found in possession of or found using vaping or e-cigarette devices is subject to discipline according to the SBISD Student Code of Conduct.  

Vaping devices can often go undetected - looking as inconspicuous as a USB drive. Their impact does not. Every day, studies are uncovering groups of individuals suffering from severe lung irritation, lung disease, immune system damage and death - all attributed to vaping.  

I am sure you have questions about vaping and what you can do as a parent. Recently, SBISD hosted a special session about vaping as one of the district's Parent U learning events. 

Below are links to resources from that event, along with general information on vaping. I encourage you to take time to review these materials. I believe the better informed you are as a parent and role model, the more effective you can be in guiding your child to make the best decisions about his/her health and well-being.

When talking about the vaping epidemic and young people, we're talking about kids as young as middle- and elementary-school ages. Fun flavors and flashy marketing - including Hello Kitty designs - are just a few of the contributing reasons we're seeing younger and younger kids pick up this addictive, life-threatening habit. 

I realize most of us know what vaping is, but I want to provide additional information that may be helpful.

Vaping is the act of inhaling and exhaling the vapor produced by a heated device, often called an e-cigarette, e-cig, vape pen or personalized vaporizer. Slang terminology you may hear is JUULing. JUUL is one of the many brand names for e-cigarettes.

Vaping is extremely addictive and dangerous. The vapor that's being inhaled may contain high levels of nicotine. According to the JUUL website, an individual who smokes one JUULpod receives the equivalent level of nicotine found in an entire pack of cigarettes.

Just imagine what the impact of chemicals like nicotine have on developing brains. Vaping devices are also used to deliver other substances like oil containing CBD or THC. THC is the compound in marijuana that produces a high. 

Along with these substances, vaping provides a higher level of carcinogenic compounds (cancer-causing agents) as compared to cigarette smoke. And, contrary to what many think, vaping often leads to cigarette smoking rather than acting as a deterrent. 

As I mentioned, a vaping device can look like a simple USB device. With detection being so difficult, here are a few signs to look for that are symptomatic of vaping:

• Vaping removes hydration from the skin of the mouth and throat. As a natural consequence, the body craves liquids to combat dehydration. If you see your child increasing their liquid consumption (and, also, urinating more), he/she may be vaping.
• With routine vaping, food can become less flavorful. If your child or teen is reaching for the salt or enjoying unusually spicy foods, this may be a clue.
• Vaping dries the mouth and the skin of the nose, as well. When the nose gets dry, it can bleed. If your child is experiencing unusual nosebleeds, this could be a sign of vaping.
• Vaping can affect the skin. If your teen is having bad breakouts on otherwise controlled skin, this may be a clue.
• Cutting back on soda or caffeine. Vaping plus caffeine can cause anxiety and severe mood swings. Most users will decrease their caffeine intake to avoid these side effects.
• Research suggests there are nanoparticles present in e-cig vapor that cause inflammation in the lungs. Inflamed lungs can lead to pockets of bacterial infection and cause pneumonia.
• Finding unfamiliar USB drives, battery chargers or spare parts. E-cig devices have parts and cartridges that need to be exchanged and replaced. Commonly, these parts are spare wires, cotton balls or small containers ("pods") that contain e-juice.  Ask your teen if you see him/her carrying an unfamiliar tech-looking device, or if there are interesting items in his/her trash bin.

This brings me to the most powerful thing you can do as a parent - talk with your child. Maintaining an ongoing conversation with your kids about vaping is the first and most powerful thing you can do as a parent to support good decision-making for your child. 

• Plan for the talk. Don't ambush your kid. Let them know you want to talk and set a time and place to do so.
• Define the rules.  Let your child know what your rules are about vaping and what the consequences are for breaking those rules.
• Explain the risks.  Go into the conversation well informed. You may have information your child doesn't. You also have the benefit of life experience. Explain your perspective and the consequences of the behavior.
• Be willing to listen.  Your child will have feelings about the conversation and topic. The more open and honest the conversation is between you and your child, the more likely your child will be open to talking to you in the future.
• Continue the conversation.  Keeping kids safe is a process. Risk factors for vaping or abuse of other substances can change. So, be prepared to maintain an ongoing dialogue with your child about their friends, their activities and their choices.

This is not the last time you will hear about vaping from me or the school district. 

Just as I encourage you to talk with your child, adults in our schools and across our community are having meaningful conversations about this very urgent youth health crisis.

Look for more information from me on this topic and actively support our efforts to build awareness by talking to your child today about vaping. Raising awareness about this health epidemic is the first step in prevention. I thank you for your time and attention to this matter.

• Real Kids Talk About Vaping
• Parent U Session Video
• SBISD News: Parent U
• Surgeon General’s Advisory on Vaping
• The Facts on Vaping Website
• Parent Tips for Talking to Kids About Vaping

• "How to Tell if Your Kid is Vaping"
  U.S. News and World Report
• "How to Talk With Teenagers About Vaping"
  The New Your Times
• "Lung Injury Associated with E-cigarette or Vaping Products"
  Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Sincerely,

Bruce Dareing
Chief of Police
Spring Branch ISD Police