By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post
A local nonprofit is working to create an anti-vaping club for students.
The Smoky Hill Foundation for Chemical Dependence is working with Hays Middle School to form the first chapter of Resist in northwest Kansas. Representatives of the foundation gave a presentation at the middle school recently on the dangers of vaping.
At a recent Hays USD 489 Board of Education meeting, Principal Tom Albers said students who wish to be in Resist must take an hourlong online course on vaping and its dangers.
The goals of Resist are to fight big tobacco, empower and educate teens, influence Kansas policy on vaping, reduce tobacco use, and prevent chronic disease linked to tobacco and vaping.
The foundation received a grant to work on developing the local Resist chapter. It is working closely with the Hays Recreation Commission. The advisers hope to have a vape-free dance, take students to Topeka or Washington on anti-vaping advocacy trips and perhaps offer a club scholarship.
The goal is to expand the club to all of Ellis County.
Alisha Dinges and Jobeth Haselhorst of the foundation gave a condensed version of the student presentation to USD 489 school board members on Monday night.
Albers said the staff found a ripped up JUUL bracelet in the bleachers after the foundation’s presentation to students. He said he hopes that meant the talk had an effect on someone.
Dinges said big tobacco companies are targeting kids by creating vaping devices that are easily concealed. The JUUL vape devices look similar to flash drives and can be easily slipped into pockets. Other vape devices are made to look like inhalers and yet another device is connected to the strings of a sweatshirt hoody.
Vape juice can contain harmful substances, including tin, lead and nickel. Although some vape juices claim to be nicotine-free, these are routinely found to have up to 3 percent nicotine.
A full report on the effects of inhaled vape juice is not supposed to be released by the FDA until 2022, but the deaths have been attributed to vaping and the foundation representatives emphasized vaping is addictive and can be dangerous to youth.
Despite the increasing health concerns being raised surrounding vaping, vaping has been on the rise among youth.
One in three high school students reports they have tried vaping, and one in 10 reports they vape regularly.
Students report in surveys they vape because their friends or family vape, the vape juice is available in fruity flavors or they think vaping is less harmful than smoking.
Students are finding easy access to vape juice and devices. Some are being supplied by older peers or siblings, some by parents who think vaping is safe, some kids buy online, via social media, or from retailers who don’t check ID.
School board member Luke Oborny said at the meeting. “Thank you for making people aware of this. It’s sad they are targeting our children. I appreciate what you are doing.”