Out with the old, in with the new

With the entire world going through the Computer Age, everything is revolving around technology so it is no surprise that cigarettes have made the switch from traditional fire power to battery power.

Electronic cigarettes, also known as “e-cigs,” are battery operated devices that can produce nicotine or non-nicotine vapor. The feeling is like that of smoking a normal cigarette, however, there is no tobacco smoke. A pharmacist in China developed the device in 2004 and then put it on the open market in 2005 and 2006.

“Like any societal trend, school-age students experiment with it, and social media helps to promote it as a cool thing to do,” said Assistant Supervisor for Student Service, Mr. Buzz Williams.

At North Harford, the use of electronic cigarettes has surprised faculty members.

“We’re surprised it happened at all. A dip happens more than a cigarette,” said North Harford assistant principal Mr. Mark Truszkowski.

To date, the administration has dealt with only a handful of cases this school year, and they didn’t have a single case last year.

“School administrators have reported about a dozen incidents since the start of the 13-14 school year. It has not been a major problem in Harford County Schools,” said Williams.

As of now there is no specific code on how to deal with electronic cigarettes. Administrators must determine what is in the cigarette before they can decide on a punishment.

“I have provided school administrators with a “guideline.” Guidelines become rules once they are published by the school (i.e. in the handbook) and communicated to the school community as a rule with disciplinary consequences,” said Williams.

If there is nicotine in the cigarette then the student violated the tobacco use policy. If there is a narcotic, then it is like bringing marijuana to school. If the device is empty, it is confiscated, like a cell phone, and a parent must retrieve it from the main office.

“We want to head off something before it happens,” said Truszkowski.

The device is picking up in popularity. Though the devices produce a vapor, public places are still banning them.

“Some students feel that it is OK to use e-cigarette products or other vaporizing products in school because they don’t contain banned substances. And some teens will test the boundaries to see how the authorities will react,” said Williams.

According to the Los Angeles Times, electronic cigarettes have only been available in the United States since 2007, but they are estimated to reach $2 billion in sales this year. With only being available for such a short time, there is no hard evidence that proves these electronic cigarettes are better for the person breathing in the secondhand smoke.

“Our [HCPS] current challenge is educating students and parents about the inappropriateness of smoking simulators at school. At best, they are an inappropriate distraction to learning, and at worst a dangerous means of abusing drugs,” said Williams.

Regardless of what these devices may or mar not contain, these electronic cigarettes are banned from Harford County Public Schools. It is illegal for minors to be sold any type of electronic cigarette in Maryland.
“I think students are just a little naive, and they think it’s harmless when it really isn’t,” said Richard Moody, supervisor for student affairs/Safe and Drug-Free Schools in Prince George’s County to the Washington Post.