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Letter to the editor: Vaping is an issue in our local school that needs to be fixed

Isaiah Garcia and James Davis
Summit Middle School students

There has been a growing issue with our youth in Summit County, and it’s called vaping.

We experience these events firsthand in Summit Middle School. My name is James Davis, and I am joined by my friend Isaiah Garcia to inform the county on something that is beginning to plague our middle school. Around 10% of middle schoolers already vape, and that number is on the rise. Another rising number is the amount of high schoolers who vape, which is estimated as being up to 60%. 

Vaping is dangerous for many reasons. Vaping can be a gateway to hard drugs and traditional cigarettes. Vaping is dangerous to your health and can cause popcorn lungs, shortness of breath, cancer and other illnesses.



Vaping is targeted at the younger generation. There are many flavors and colors that are attractive to younger people. Nicotine is very addictive. 

How can we help with this issue? There are organizations trying to stop this growing concern.



Ms. Lisa Shain, the Summit Middle School nurse, said, “Teen Intervene helps kids caught vaping to stop and turn their life around.”

Teen Intervene is a program that helps kids to stop smoking and drinking. It also helps youth make healthier choices, helps them identify the reason for drinking or doing drugs and examines the substance abuse effects in their life.

Organizations like these and positive peer pressure are the best ways to stop people from vaping. Another option is to have kids create an awareness group to inform their peers.

To stop this crisis, we need all the help we can get. We need to inform and bring awareness to this subject. We need adults to set a good example and not vape in front of kids. Trust that we might make a difference by bringing awareness.


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