Skip to main content
District
  1. Our District
  2. Plans and Policies
  3. North Babylon Addressing Vaping

North Babylon Addressing Vaping

North Babylon School District Addressing Vaping

The health and safety of our students is a top priority, so we feel it is necessary to inform you of a major concern in schools across the country. The presence and use of e-cigarettes/vaping devices has drastically increased among teens and adolescents. We take this issue seriously and are concerned with the effects these devices have on our students. Our hope is to provide you with some valuable information regarding vaping. We are aware there are varying levels of understanding, so we will attempt to answer some of the basics.

We work closely with our local Department of Health and police department, which enforces state laws and local ordinances as they pertain to these devices. It is also against school policy to possess and/or use e-cigarettes and vaping devices. This can be found in our Code of Conduct on Page 13 Number 11.

  •  

    Vaping is the act of inhaling a vapor that is produced by an electronic vaporizer or e-cigarette. The vapor comes from heating flavored liquids that may contain nicotine, marijuana/THC, cocaine, or other drugs. These flavored liquids release a very strong sweet smell into the air when vaporized.

  • Vaporizers come in various shapes and sizes . The most common form we've seen is the Juul, which looks like an electronic flash drive that plugs into a USB port for charging. These devoices can be quite small and can be easily concealed within a normal backpack or other school related items.

  • Various information has created misconceptions about vaping, however, VAPING IS NOT A SAFE ALTERNATIVE TO SMOKING, The medical community has conducted many studies and released many warnings. The biggest risks involve nicotine dependency, stunted brain development, vape juices that contain multiple known carcinogens (cancer causing elements), and many respiratory diseases.

  • Although it is illegal for stores to sell vaping items to anyone under 18 years of age, our students are getting their hands on them. Online purchasing without age verification, getting a device from a family member of friend, or buying them from random people all seem to be sources of distribution.

School Response to Vaping in School

  • North Babylon High School uses the Smart Pass system to track student traveling in the hallways and their location to cut down on hallway wandering and unsupervised students

  • If caught vaping in school or on school property students will receive an out of school suspension by the building principal of up to 5 days

  • Additionally, students vaping with THC/marijuana are recommended to a 3214 Superintendent's Hearing for possible further consequences

  • Students caught vaping participate on an on-line course called VapeOut

  • See below North Babylon's work on reducing vaping in our schools highlighted on CBS News for our tremendous work

North Babylon on CBS News for Participating in Suffolk County's Vape Out Program