BONNER COUNTY, Idaho — Lake Pend Oreille School District is tackling the problem of vaping by holding teenagers accountable but also supporting and encouraging them to avoid the destructive addiction by providing preventive programs and introducing healthy habits.
LPOSD schools are in the business of educating students and “this is an example of how we can educate students to make better decisions," said Jacki Crossingham, Sandpoint High School principal.
Companies routinely target young people with marketing and enticing new products. One in five Idaho teens reportedly has tried vaping. Lured by flavors and easy-to-disguise-and-hide devices, kids become easily addicted to vaping due to the high levels of nicotine found in almost all vapes.
LPOSD’s goal is to implement a tobacco and nicotine-free culture that provides a proactive educational environment that supports students who wish to quit.
While the district maintains strict prohibition of nicotine or tobacco, it also responds to vaping first offenses with support measures, instead of just punitive action. When caught, first offenders attend a vaping remediation and education program, called INDEPTH, taught by Kristina Gavin, one of the district’s two school nurses.
Rather than suspending students from school — where they may simply continue to vape — this program has demonstrated to be effective in showing them strategies to become less dependent on vaping.
“E-cigarettes have harmful chemicals like formaldehyde that can cause cancer. Another thing is that teenagers' brains are still developing and nicotine is highly addictive, and if teenagers vape, it harms their brain,” Gavin said.
To read the full story, visit our news partner, the Bonner County Daily Bee.
