Vaping information
Please read this letter from Dr. Warnock concerning Vaping and "Wesley's Law"
The Emanuel County School District is committed to the health, safety, and welfare of its students. The District recognizes that the use of vapes, vaporizers, e-cigarettes, or other devices used to inhale vapor by means of an electronic device (“vaping”) is harmful to the health of students and the good order of the School District. Out of concern for the health and welfare of our students, Emanuel County Schools has adopted a specific protocol for addressing the nationwide epidemic that is currently plaguing schools around the country. Vaping and ecigarettes pose a significant health risk to our students; therefore, the following violation has been added to the middle and high school code of conduct. It will be a violation of the Emanuel County Discipline Code to possess, use or transfer a vape as provided below.
Definition: Vaping is the act of inhaling and exhaling the aerosol, often referred to as vapor, which is produced by an e-cigarette or similar device. The term is used because e-cigarettes do not produce tobacco smoke, but rather an aerosol, often mistaken for water vapor, that actually consists of fine particles.
Vaping requires the use of a purpose-made or homemade device that vaporizes oil that may contain flavoring, nicotine, Cannabidiol (“CBD”) oil of varying concentrations, tetrahydrocannabinol (“THC”) oil of varying concentrations, or other substances that may or may not be legal to possess (“vape”). A vaping device is generally composed of a vaporizer, battery, reservoir for smoking oil, and a battery charger. By way of example and not as a limitation, vaping devices may be called vapes, Juuls, e-cigarettes, e-cigs, dab pens or other brand names.
- Cannabis. Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) are the two primary cannabinoids that occur naturally in the cannabis sativa plant.
- CBD Oil. CBD oil is derived from a cannabis plant called hemp. Hemp contains a very high concentration of CBD and less than .3% by volume of THC.
- Low-THC Oil. Low-THC oil is derived from the cannabis plant that produces marijuana. Low-THC oil contains no more than 5% by volume of THC and may only be possessed or used under a doctor’s supervision with a prescription. Possession of Low-THC oil without a valid prescription is a felony.
- THC Oil. THC oil is derived from the cannabis plant and contains more than 5% by volume of THC.
- Some THC oil may contain up to 98% by volume of THC (3 - 5 times stronger than typical marijuana).
- Possession of THC oil is a felony.
- Vape. A vape is a purpose-made or homemade device that electronically vaporizes liquid to allow a user to inhale the vapor created in the lungs (i.e. vapes, juuls, e-cigarette, e-cig, dab pen, vape sticks, etc.)
- Vape will include individually or together vape battery(ies), reservoir(s), vaporizer(s), and/or vape charger(s). Vape Juice. Vape juice is a slang term for the liquid used by the vaporizer to create vapor.
Vape juice may contain flavored juice, CBD oil, Low THC oil or THC oil. Students in possession of vapes or other electronic smoking devices (42) will be addressed using the matrix below. When such a device contains THC, synthetic THC, CBD or other drug, as outlined above, the discipline will be classified as a drug offense (07) and appropriate discipline will be administered following the matrix below.
Consequences: In keeping with the District’s approach to progressive discipline, the following consequences will apply to any student in grades 6-12 who is in intentional or unintentional possession of any vaping paraphernalia during any school-sanctioned activity or on any Emanuel County school campus during or outside of normal school hours. While elementary students are not subject to the 6-12 code of conduct as reflected below, any violation of this code by an elementary-aged student will be treated as a serious violation and disciplined as such by school administration.
VAPES/ELECTRONIC SMOKING DEVICE Students in possession of vapes or other electronic smoking devices will be addressed using the matrix below. When such device contains THC, synthetic THC or other drug the discipline will be classified as a drug offense and appropriate discipline will be administered following the matrix below.
DISCIPLINARY OFFENSES
Offenses are listed in alphabetical order. After the name of each offense is found the number of the offense and Classification(s) of the Offense (I, II or III).
Students in possession or under the influence of a vape that contains THC will be in violation of a Class III Offense that will result in long-term suspension and/or recommendation for an alternative education program. In the event a student is found to be in possession of an illegal substance/drug for use in a vaping device, such will be treated as a separate drug-related offense.
| OFFENSE | LEVELS | Consequences |
| DRUGS | Drugs 1-Unintentional possession |
First Offense Subsequent Offenses |
| Drugs 2-Failure to report medication to school authorities; under the influence | First Offense In-school suspension and/or suspension and/or suspension from the bus for ten days or longer for bus related offenses. Special circumstances in the discretion of the principal may warrant disciplinary action as outlined under Subsequent Offenses below. Subsequent Offenses May include long-term suspension and/or recommendation for an alternative educational program. The third offense of bullying in a school year, at a minimum shall result in the student being allowed to apply to the Alternative school. |
|
| Drugs 3-Possession or distribution of unlawful drugs | The disciplinary actions for these offenses will be out-of-school suspension, application to Alternative school, suspension for 10+ days, and/or recommendation for expulsion by the principal as authorized in the procedures previously stated and/or suspension from bus transportation for the remainder of the semester or year for bus related offenses. For students who violated any of the drug or alcohol offenses, the principal shall recommend expulsion for the remainder of the semester. | |
| Electronic Smoking Device | Electronic Smoking Device 1- Unintentional possession of an electronic smoking device |
First Offense Subsequent Offenses |
| Electronic Smoking Device 2- Use or knowledgeable possession of electronic smoking device | First Offense In-school suspension and/or suspension and/or suspension from the bus for ten days or longer for bus related offenses. Special circumstances in the discretion of the principal may warrant disciplinary action as outlined under Subsequent Offenses below. Subsequent Offenses May include long-term suspension and/or recommendation for an alternative educational program. The third offense of bullying in a school year, at a minimum shall result in the student being allowed to apply to the Alternative school. |
|
| Electronic Smoking Device 3- Distribution and/or selling of electronic smoking devices; Level 3 may be used for students that violate school policy on electronic smoking devices three or more times during the same school year. | The disciplinary actions for these offenses will be out-of-school suspension, application to Alternative school, suspension for 10+ days, and/or recommendation for expulsion by the principal as authorized in the procedures previously stated and/or suspension from bus transportation for the remainder of the semester or year for bus related offenses. For students who violated any of the drug or alcohol offenses, the principal shall recommend expulsion for the remainder of the semester |
Johns Hopkins Medical Facts about VapingAmerican Lung Association
Vaping Health Facts to Share with Your KidsVaping: What You Need to Know (for Teens)How to Educate Students About the Dangers of Vaping
NASN Vanquishing Vaping Toolkit https://learn.nasn.org/courses/35289
CATCH My Breath program https://catch.org/program/vaping-prevention/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dZS_Rniak0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6JCAyb3lDTo
GaDOE: https://www.gadoe.org/wholechild/Pages/Electronic- Smoking-Devices.aspx
Scholastic: https://www.scholastic.com/vapingrisks/index.html#fda_v ideo
https://www.lung.org/quit-smoking/end-youth-vaping
https://everfi.com/courses/k-12/vaping-programs-for-high-school-students/
ELEM. SCHOOL VAPING INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCE https://www.aafp.org/family-physician/patient-care/care-resources/tobacco-and-nicotine/tar-wars.html
PAVe: Interested in learning more about the vaping epidemic?
Three moms started PAVe as a response to the youth vaping epidemic. It was founded in 2019 and stands for
Parents Against Vaping E-cigs. The website offers information to educate parents. https://www.parentsagainstvaping.org/georgia
Vaping Know the Truth
This is a new course created by Truth Initiative and Kaiser Permanente, in collaboration with the American Heart Association, on vaping prevention and resources to quit made available at NO COST to students and teachers. https://truthinitiative.org/curriculum#program-details
Mind Matters Series
Mind Matters is a series that explores the ways that different drugs affect your brain, body, and life. These were developed by the Nationals Institute on Drug Abuse. Mind Matters” includes nine engaging printed materials designed to help students in grades 5 – 8 understand the biological effects of drug misuse on the brain and body, along with identifying how these drug- induced changes affect both behaviors and emotions.
Hard copies of the booklets in English can be ordered for free. https://teens.drugabuse.gov/teachers/mind-matters/nicotine
How to Talk to Your Kid About Vaping
Explains what vaping is, why it appeals to youth, what the health risks are and what you can do to protect young people from its harms. https://drugfree.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/What- You-Need-to-Know-and-How-to-Talk-to-Your-Kids- About-Vaping-Guide-Partnership-for-Drug-Free- Kids.pdf
Truth About Vaping, Smoking, and Nicotine High School Lesson Plans
The high school lesson plans offer an overview, facts, learning objectives, questions to ask students, student activity, a teaching lesson, and additional resources. https://www2.heart.org/site/DocServer/AHC.ECigarett es.HS_KH_9.6.19.pdf?docID=5496
CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/basic_information/e- cigarettes/index.htm
USDOE: https://safesupportivelearning.ed.gov/resources/science- vaping
Surgeon General: https://e-cigarettes.surgeongeneral.gov/
Tobacco Free Kids: https://www.tobaccofreekids.org/problem/toll-us/georgia https://www.takingdowntobacco.org/ (Training Program)
Texas: https://www.dshs.texas.gov/schoolhealth/pdf/Elementary VapingPreventionResources.pdf
CVS: https://www.bevapefree.org/educators/
Youth Now: https://www.youthnow.me/schools/
Other Resources
https://www.camh.ca/-/media/files/vaping-elementary- educator-resource-en-pdf.pdfhttps://truthinitiative.org/curriculumhttp://makesmokinghistory.org/dangers-of-vaping/schools/https://www.rsdmo.org/Page/4624https://www.johnstoncsd.org/departments/health-services/vaping-awareness-resources/
https://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2019/12/14/the-best-videos-for- learning-about-the-dangers-of-vaping/