Vaping is a common addiction in teens, and roughly 14% of high schoolers use e-cigarettes. Thursday, November 16th is Rangeview High School’s official Vape Out Day, though all week (November 13-17) the school is showcasing information on the dangers of vaping and ways to help students quit. The hallways are lined with posters about the consequences of addiction. There’s also a table in the Commons during both lunches that has an educational diorama contrasting what healthy and smoke damaged lungs look like, using real ones from a pig. The table also features a simulation of what it’s like to breathe using damaged lungs, and the fan-favorite: doing activities wearing drunk goggles to know how it feels to be impaired. The table is full of good information and has staff members available to help answer questions, such as counselors and Susan Howk, who works for Arapahoe County Public Health.
By all accounts Rangeview staff are taking this seriously, and reaching out to students to genuinely help them. It’s worrisome that Rangeview students are not doing the same. Signing a pledge to stop vaping, also at the table in the Commons, enters students into a raffle for a $50 gift card to a place of their choosing. The first 250 students who turn in a plan detailing how they plan to quit vaping to their counselor will earn another raffle ticket, as well as a guaranteed $10 gift card.
Money is a good motivator, and I can see a good amount of Rangeview’s population signing their name or filling out a form just for the cash and not to actually quit. I’m sure there are some who genuinely appreciate the resources and the support, but I’ve also heard a lot of talk from people who either aren’t interested in quitting or even those who don’t even vape about how it’s easy money.
The counselors have expressed there was a good amount of interest in the table, particularly in the activities and diorama. However, not too many people were asking questions, and only an estimated 10 people took an offered “test” to help determine why they vape.
Originally, submitting the plan to stop vaping was going to be students turning in their vapes, but the district overruled it because it’d require bringing vapes into school (as if that doesn’t happen already), and because they wanted students to put actual plans in place. I think the current version is better for those genuinely interested because at least for me, things are easier to achieve when there’s a plan in place.
At the same time, I feel like it may be easier to take advantage. Before students had to acquire an actual vape and turn it in, which might at least deter the students who don’t vape at all. But now, students can just write something on the form and get rewarded for it, which isn’t fair to those who want the help or those who’ve put in the work to make this week happen.
Counselors do plan to follow up on these plans that students create. Counselor Joseph Eck stated that for the students who fill one out “will be followed up with… so that we can provide resources to help them stay vape free and to live a healthier life.”
This may seem like a deterrent but these follow ups are expected to just be to provide resources, and not necessarily following up on their specific goals. The knowledge that there will be further talks about the plans might keep some from wanting to cheat the system, but I think for many the promise of money will overshadow the threat of follow ups.
I’m glad that Rangeview is hosting a Vape Out because it helps open up the conversation of vape addiction in teens, but I don’t think offering money as a motivator is the best decision the school could have made, especially because there are other parts of the school that could probably benefit from it.
For those who want more more information about qutting vaping, My Life My Quit is a good resource for one on one, self-paced help. The booth in the Commons is also handing out business cards with the companies information on it.
