There seems to be a lot of West 8th graders are vaping. Mrs. Phillips, a staff from the St. Joseph Mercy Health System came to the West and talked about dangers and the consequences for vaping. After seeing the slideshow Mrs. Phillips made, many students were surprised by what they learned.

According to Mrs. Phillips, there are many dangerous chemicals in the vapor. These include antifreeze, car exhaust, something used to preserve dead organs, heavy metals and a flavoring component of many vape juice products. Vaping can cause a disease called “popcorn lungs”.

According to an article written in the Detroit Free Press on September 25, 2018, titled “Your kids think it’s cool to vape at school. It’s a big problem” 6.6% of 8th graders have vaped in the last 30 days and 13.3% of 8th graders in the previous year.

Mrs. Phillips states, “I’m not sure why 8th graders vape, but research tells us about 30% of teens vape because they are attracted to the fun and fruity flavorings and nearly 40% report they vape because their friends do. There is a federal law, called the Tobacco Control Act that prohibits minors from purchasing vapes. And the penalty for a youth choosing to vape can really vary depending on where they are at the time they are caught, but it can include being suspended from school and/or getting a citation from law enforcement officials.”

West students are vaping in the bathrooms, during passing times, and after schools. This is a huge problem. Vaping needs to stop. Vaping affects our growing brains and the chemical are dangerous to our bodies.