An Open Conversation About Vaping

Note from News Editors Emily Wallace ‘20, Vienna Copado and Madison Brooks

It’s easy to talk with your friends about current populture trends, watch a movie about stereotypical teenage drama, or to look at the choices of others and feel grateful you are not making the same mistakes. A more challenging scenario arises, however, when you get to know these people. What about when you start to hear their side of the story? What if you start making smaller choices that lead to the same mistake? But more importantly, what if you simply ignore the problems facing our generation entirely? 

The topic of vaping, as we heard about in a recent assembly, is relatively new and unique to our generation. Vaping is hard to talk about; but this cannot stop us.

In an attempt to bring forth the topic of vaping in our own community, the Mayfield Crier has interviewed two students who currently use vaping products. We have respected their decision to remain anonymous for the purposes of this article. Their responses are reported here because we believe their honest input to be a crucial part in understanding the epidemic that faces us. 

We all heard during the assembly about the health risks that are involved with vaping and the cheap ploys of huge tobacco companies who target young people. But there is more to the story than just the possible effects and dangers of vaping. There are people involved…people we know and for whom we care. 

We encourage you to read through these responses placing yourself in the shoes of those who answered. Both of these students, as shown by their answers, are personally fighting against the issue of vaping in their own lives and ultimately are working to eliminate it completely. However, it is just as important that we as friends and fellow peers of anyone who is struggling with vaping support them in this fight. 

The first step is to listen. We have to hear those who have experiences if we hope to help them end these experiences. The next step is to stand by each other as Cubs, sisters, brothers, friends, and soldiers in the fight for our youth’s prosperity. From there, we can tackle any problem the world throws at us next.

Reporting by Katerina Raptis ‘20 and Sarah Smith ‘20 

Personal Testimonies:

Are you addicted?

Person 1:

• No

Person 2:

• No

 Have you ever been caught?

Person 1: 

• Yes

Person 2:

•  No

When did it start? How did it start? Why did you start?

Person 1:

• I think I first started in 2016. I tried it because I was curious and I saw a lot of people doing it. I got started through a friend, and they eventually gave me their Juul. 

Person 2:

• I started in 2017 when a friend asked me if I wanted to try theirs. I just started by taking hits off other peoples’ Juuls, but eventually got my own.

Do your parents know what it looks like?

Person 1:

• Yes, both of my parents know what different vapes look like. I think they know because of the news.

Person 2:

• I think both of my parents know what it looks like, or at least one of my parents know. They have seen a lot of vapes on the news. 

Do you still vape? If you do, why do you still vape?

Person 1:

• Yeah, I still vape sometimes. When I do, it is just because it was part of my routine for so long.

Person 2:

• Yes, I do. I think I still vape because it’s like a habit.

How long can you go without vaping?

Person 1:

• Before when I was addicted to vaping, I could not last more than a day without vaping.  Now, I just stop and start whenever I want.

Person 2:

• I can usually go a couple of weeks without vaping

Do you want to stop vaping?

Person 1:

• I hope to completely stop. I have already started to vape less and less, but eventually, I do not want to vape at all.

Person 2:

• I want to stop but it takes time. I don’t think I will until after college.

Has the recent news about vaping impacted your decisions?

Person 1:

• No, it has not really had a strong effect on me. When I started vaping, I was already somewhat aware of the health risks that come with this habit.

Person 2:

• The recent news did not have a huge impact on me, but it did make me want to start vaping less. 

If you could go back to before you started vaping, would you?

Person 1: No. I wish I could go back and tell myself not to waste all that money and risk my health.