Florida law enforcement officials are dealing with a troubling rise in vape use among students, and school resource officers said it's becoming their No. 1 issue.

What's happening?

The Palm Beach Post investigated the full scope of the problem, which included 22,022 reported vaping incidents at schools in the state during the 2023-24 school year. That's just the users who get caught with vapes on school grounds.

Young users often conceal vapes or offload them, making detection challenging for officials or parents who might not be able to spot them. The outlet shared that a schoolwide lockdown occurred after a student went to the lengths of climbing a fence to access the school to evade metal detectors.

This isn't a new problem for Florida. A crackdown by the state in 2023 delivered $10 million to Palm Beach County schools from manufacturer Juul, bringing $79 million overall. But that didn't solve the vaping problem. Students are getting their hands on vapes through whatever means possible, primarily by buying them from legal users over the age of 21. 

Youths are gravitating to vapes for numerous reasons. There's peer pressure, flashy packaging, and flavored products that cater to adolescents' preferences. It's not hard to see how vapes can easily get from someone in their early 20s to underage students seamlessly.

"Vapes are definitely for the younger crowd," said Kristen Crowhorn, who works at a vape shop in Florida. "That's what they tend to come in for the most."

Why is students' vaping in Florida important?

Vaping poses significant public health challenges, including creating new generations of nicotine addicts. Despite containing fewer harmful chemicals than cigarettes, vapes produce toxic aerosols with additives that are linked to lung cancer.

They can include unlisted chemicals and opioids that pose their own dire health risks. A vaping arrest can also send a student's life sideways with potential felony charges on the way if the vape contains THC or other illicit substances. 

Then there are the broader issues that vapes pose. They are a considerable contributor to environmental pollution. Disposable vapes, which often end up as e-waste, include nonrecyclable plastics and lithium batteries. The extensive waste generated by discarded pods can pose a danger to animals and human drivers alike.

What's being done about students vaping in Florida?

Florida schools are taking a hard line on vaping and getting more sophisticated in catching them on school grounds. That includes busting students in the bathroom frequently. Schools can also program educational initiatives to inform students of the health and legal risks.

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While the successful lawsuits against Juul clearly didn't fix the issues, that doesn't mean that making companies pay isn't helpful. Entities that target youth with vapes deserve to be scrutinized and sued if necessary. 

Stricter measures, such as outright bans, are being implemented in Mexico and other parts of South America. That could be worth considering in the U.S. For now, catching illegal products before they fly off the shelves is an important initiative.

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