The Dangers of E-Cigarettes

By: Steph Wetzel, Kasey Vangelov, Caroline Schnabel, Reilly Hennessy

In past generations, smoking cigarettes was considered a trend. They were promoted on commercials, advertisements, and even given away as prizes on game shows. However, our generation isn’t seeing the promotion of regular cigarettes–we are seeing the promotion of electronic cigarettes instead. Electronic cigarettes, or e-cigs, were initially used to encourage cigarette users to quit smoking; however, they have done the opposite. People who have never smoked a day in their life are now progressing onto regular cigarettes after smoking e-cigarettes.

According to ABCnews.com, “E-cigarettes are battery operated nicotine inhalers that consist of a rechargeable lithium battery, a cartridge called a cartomizer and an LED that lights up at the end when you puff on the e-cigarette to simulate the burn of a tobacco cigarette.”

East health teacher Mr. Townsend said that the long term effects towards users health is still unknown. “We’re still learning more about what they actually do. Research is still ongoing. The manufacturers of many e-cigarette companies are leading tobacco companies.”

Students and faculty feel as though their breathing air is contaminated due to students smoking e-cigarettes on school property. “When I walk into the orange bathroom as a male I know kids are using them in there. I don’t like them, I don’t think kids know how dangerous they are. A lot of kids think they’re cool when they use them. Kids aren’t using them to stop smoking tobacco. They are using them for fun and shouldn’t be,” said math teacher Mr. Meyers. Teachers that have classrooms near the orange and red bathrooms, including Mr. Meyer, are noticing students smoking them more then other faculty members. “It has occurred more in the boys bathrooms. My room is right next to the girls bathroom, and once in a great while I’ll smell something. However, I am very strict on students not using the bathrooms during class. Last year, it appeared to be mostly ninth and tenth grade boys. I know it was a problem with the younger boys because I teach seniors and they were telling me how ridiculous the ninth grade boys looked with their e-cigarettes. The older boys would often tease and make fun of them in order to intimidate them not to do it,” stated foreign language teacher Mrs. Masso.

Students who took the AP Biology and AP Music Theory exams last year are especially frustrated with students smoking e-cigarettes on school property. During the exam there was a break in which students decided smoke. Their actions could have led to serious consequences including having each student retake the exams. “To take the exam for another three hours? I would’ve hated that,” said junior Puja Sasankan, who took the AP Biology exam last year. Students who took the AP Music Theory exam also had to deal with the chance of these consequences. “It would’ve been extremely unfair. AP exams are a big deal and they require a lot of time and energy in studying. I would’ve been very angry if they made us retake it,” stated junior Bhavana Upadhyaya.

Some teenagers feel as though smoking electronic cigarettes will make them more appealing to others. Although they understand the consequences of smoking e-cigarettes, they still insist on doing it.  A sixteen year old at East who wishes to remain anonymous was previously an e-cigarette user stated, “I used e-cigs in the past because I thought it made me look cool, but in reality it is stupid.  I feel it’s dangerous because no one knows the long term effect.  I have smoked in social situations because the pressure was high.  It made me feel cool and rebellious which I am neither.  I don’t use e-cigs anymore.”

Not only are e-cigarettes a part of tobacco companies, but they are treated as tobacco products as well. They are prohibited in public places such as parks, beaches, work facilities, and schools. Students at our school were found possessing such products on school grounds during the school day. Teachers are not thrilled about this situation. The code of conduct for our school states that alcohol and other substances are prohibited on school property. Violations of this policy will lead to a minimum 5-day suspension, plus other consequences. Worse consequences will be enforced if the student is on a sports team or involved in other school activities. Administration is trying to ensure that even if the policy changes, it will be enforced.  “We’re doing our best to make sure students are not coming to school with electronic cigarettes. If the policy changes, than we will enforce it. The policy is what it is and we will enforce it as it is written,” assistant principal Mr. Scanzuso said in a previous East Side News report on e-cigarettes.

The students and faculty of the school are trying to get the students who smoke e-cigarettes to understand that they are also harming others. They do not realize that they are contaminating the air of those that are around them. It is also stressed that the long term health risks are still unknown. The device could be thought of as a gateway drug. It is developing a new generation of smokers, and is doing the opposite of its intention.