VAPING NEWS: Metal detectors at school, more…

Apple

Reflecting the growing concern about vaping and e-cigarettes, Apple has now removed all 181 vaping-related apps from its App store. It did so “to “reflect that apps encouraging or facilitating the use of these products are not permitted.” To date, 2,172 people have gotten sick in documenting cases due to vaping, and 42 people have died. 

Rhode Island schools to search students with metal detectors to find vapers Coventry High School joins The Chariho School District, and perhaps others, in using hand-held metal detectors to detect suspected vape pens and tinfoil that may be used to carry other substances associated with vaping.

“We’re very serious about this,” Superintendent Craig Levis said Thursday, as he presented for a first reading an amendment to the district’s search of students, student property policy. “I think it would be negligent if we don’t take these steps.”  Levis noted students who have reported use of the bathrooms for vaping, and also the selling of THC at school. Levis said, adding that he wants “to make it very difficult” for students to vape on campus.

The action was announced as an amendment to the school’s policies and noted that building administrators could use the metal detector to search an individual student or all students in a location when reasonable suspicion of vaping products is present.

School committee vice chair David Florio said he would vote for the policy amendment with a “heavy heart”, saying “I know why you have to do this. I know it needs to be done…it’s just sad that it needs to be done, and we have to save lives.” Other committee members shared Florio’s position, noting that some parents will be pleased, and others will “push back on this”.

Committee member Murray noted that the use of metal detectors will avoid more invasive search techniques.  

Local police will be asked to train the staff in use of the four metal detectors they already have on campus.

“I can’t stop somebody that’s addicted. I know that,” Levis continued. “But I can stop them from doing it at school.”

JUUL sued

New York brought suit against JUUL yesterday claiming the company misled consumers and misrepresented its products by saying they are a safer alternative to smoking.  New York AG, Letitia James said the company fueled the youth vaping epidemic, and that her office is “prepared to use every legal tool in our arsenal to protect the health and safety of our youth”. Of the one million New Yorkers estimated to vape, 220,000 of those are under the age of 18.  4.11 million high school students and 1.2 million middle school students currently use e-cigarettes.  Last week, New York raised the age to purchase tobacco products from 18 to 21 years old.

On Monday, the state of California sued JUUL.

Oregon & Washington

Oregon has banned vaping products with Vitamin E acetate, often found in black market THC products. 

The American Medical Association

The AMA has now called for urgent regulatory, legislative, and/or legal action at the federal and/or state levels to ban the sale and distribution of ALL e-ckgarette and vaping items.

The Philippines

The President of the Philippines has banned vaping, ordered arrests of those caught vaping, amd prohibited the importation of vaping devices into the country.

The American Heart Association

The AHA has allocated $20 Million to Youth Vaping Research and has begun a campaign called “End the Lies” to end vaping and use of nicotine products among youth, siting new research showing serious heart health implications to youth and to adults.

Photo: Taken from the American Heart Association website article on vaping