(C) Daily Montanan This story was originally published by Daily Montanan and is unaltered. . . . . . . . . . . Montana principals: Vaping impacts our kids, our schools and our health – Daily Montanan [1] ['More From Author', 'January', 'Guest Commentary'] Date: 2024-01-09 Montana Principals: Vaping Impacting Our Kids and Schools As principals we strive to ensure our schools are engaging, safe and healthy environments that promote learning. However, youth vaping in Montana is threatening our kids’ health and safety and creating unnecessary barriers to academic success. Principals included The following principals from around Montana have signed onto this letter: Annie Begger, Wibaux Public Schools, Wibaux Cory Beckham, Arlee Junior/Senior High School, Arlee Cal Boyle, Helena Middle School, Helena Becky Carlson, Will James Middle School, Billings Jeremy Carlson, Billings West High School, Billings Matt Clouser, Billings Career Center, Billings Ashley Copple, Sidney Middle School, Sidney Paul Condon, Hays/Lodgepole Schools, Hays and Lodgepole Len Dorscher, Thompson Falls Middle School, Thompson Falls Carl Dynneson, Sidney High School, Sidney Geoff Habel, Great Falls High, Great Falls Kim Hanks, Wolf Point High School, Wolf Point Ashley Henigman, Sacajawea Middle School, Bozeman Brad Holloway, Glacier High School, Kalispell Travis Johnson, Butte High Career Center, Butte Tryg Johnson, Kalispell Middle School, Kalispell Kevin Kenelty, Ronan High School, Ronan Katy Kennedy, Glendive Middle School, Glendive Brian Kessler, East Helena High School, East Helena Jon Konen, Columbia Falls High School, Columbia Falls Jennifer LaFromboise-Wagner, Browning High School, Browning Eric A. Larson, Stevensville High School, Stevensville Patrick McClellan, Chief Joseph Middle School, Bozeman Jamie McGraw, C.M. Russell High School, Great Falls Brian Miller, North Middle School, Great Falls Judson Miller, Hellgate High School, Missoula Keith Miller, East Middle School, Butte Ted Miller, Columbia Falls Middle School, Columbia Falls Dan Mills, Bozeman High School, Bozeman Matt Molyneaux, Chinook Jr./Sr. High School, Chinook Lynsi Morris, East Valley Middle School, East Helena Ryon Noland, Plains High School and Junior High School, Plains Mike Olson, Culbertson High School, Culbertson Michele Paine, Flathead High School, Kalispell Kyle Paulson, Belt Public Schools, Belt Amy Ree, Dawson County High School, Glendive Erica Schnee, Gallatin High School, Bozeman Shelli Strouf, Billings Senior High School, Billings Jody Sulser, Lewis and Clark Middle School, Billings Steve Thennis, Helena High School, Helena Stephanie Thennis, Sentinel High School, Missoula Michael Thomas, Medicine Crow Middle School, Billings Jay Wahl, Skyview High School, Billings Brett Zanto, Capital High School, Helena Montana has a serious problem with youth e-cigarette use. Our most current Montana Youth Risk Behavior Survey data tell us 26% of our high school students currently vape and nearly half (48%) of them have tried vaping. We are encouraged that most Montana youth report they do not vape, but we are very concerned about the health and well-being of the one in four students who do. While youth vaping is a discipline problem that can disrupt learning in our schools, it’s become an addiction problem, too. Like all other tobacco products, electronic cigarettes contain nicotine, an addictive drug that can harm the developing brain. Nicotine impacts the portions of the brain that control attention and learning; its use can increase symptoms of anxiety and amplify depression. Nicotine use in adolescence may also increase the risk for future addiction to other drugs. It’s also important to be aware that some principals report kids are vaping marijuana and other drugs, in addition to tobacco products. Devices that show up in our schools come in a myriad of shapes and sizes, many that resemble school supplies like highlighters, markers and USB drives. It can be very difficult to identify what has been referred to as “stealth vaping” in our buildings. We are concerned that these highly addictive products come in flavors especially attractive to kids. Flavors like cotton candy, mango pineapple ice, skittles and blue raspberry are hooking our kids and impacting their lives physically, mentally, socially, emotionally and financially. Principals, teachers and counselors are connecting kids to resources to help address an addiction to electronic cigarettes. Quitting resources like the state of Montana’s My Life My Quit website (mt.mylifemyquit.org) are free, confidential and specifically designed for youth. We know that prevention is key. We urge parents to talk to their kids about the harmful risks of vaping; you have a great influence on the healthy choices your kids are making. In short, the notion that vaping is somehow safe and harmless to youth is false and Montana’s standing as the state with the second highest incidence of youth e-cigarette use calls for corrective action. We urge Montana decision makers at the state and local levels to help us address this problem and put the best practices for youth tobacco use prevention into action. [END] --- [1] Url: https://dailymontanan.com/2024/01/09/montana-principals-vaping-impacts-our-kids-our-schools-and-our-health/ Published and (C) by Daily Montanan Content appears here under this condition or license: Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds: gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/montanan/