SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – Vaping has been an issue in South Lake Tahoe schools for several years, but the problem is growing and is a big concern for school staff and law enforcement, and one they must deal with daily.
The issue isn’t just at South Tahoe High School, but also at South Tahoe Middle School, and it has even seeped into elementary schools. The issue isn’t just a local issue, and is a growing one across the country. It is also illegal on campus for all ages, and illegal for those under 21 to purchase tobacco, vape devices, and cannabis.
Douglas High School in Minden, Nev. recently found four students with vapes that contained fentanyl and ecstasy.
What is vaping?
Vaping simulates smoking. Battery-powered vape devices heat liquid so users can breathe it into their lungs. The heating of the liquid in the e-cigarette, vape pen, or other devices creates an aerosol. This isn’t water vapor, though it looks like it. The vapor contains nicotine, THC, flavoring, and more than 30 other chemicals. The aerosol is inhaled into the lungs, where the nicotine and chemicals cross over into the bloodstream. The devices used are often called a vape pen or e-cigarette.
Vaping nicotine comes with warnings: The nicotine liquid used in vape devices is poisonous when swallowed or absorbed through the skin or eyes. An average vape pod has as much nicotine as 20 cigarettes. Inhaling too much nicotine can cause seizures and convulsions. There have been reports of young people experiencing seizures after vaping. Other side effects include Coughing, Shortness of breath, Eye irritation, Headaches, Dry and irritated mouth and throat, and Nausea.
Vaping THC oil is linked to an additional set of side effects, especially in frequent users and those under the age of 25, as brains are still developing, according to numerous studies and national organizations. The side effects include short-term ones: Anxiety and paranoia, Dry mouth and throat, Red eyes, Increased heart rate, Impaired coordination and reaction time, Nausea and vomiting, Cough, and Dizziness. Long-Term Side Effects: Cancer (although the evidence is limited), Lung damage, including inflammation and airway irritation, Increased risk of respiratory infections, Addiction, Cognitive impairment, Mental health problems, such as psychosis and schizophrenia
What are South Lake Tahoe schools seeing on campus?
South Lake Tahoe school staff say the most common types of vapes that are confiscated are Geek Bar and Puffins. A Geek Bar is made of nicotine, and a Puffin is THC. Both items can be purchased pre-loaded and are disposable.
Geek Bar Pulse disposable vape comes in a device that holds 16ml of e-liquid and features a five percent nicotine content (50 mg/mL), providing a nicotine experience equivalent to smoking 40-45 traditional cigarettes, according to their website. On average, a cigarette contains between 6 and 12 milligrams (mg) of nicotine, but can have as little as 1 mg or as much as 28 mg. In the 16ml size, the device lasts for 7,500-15,000 puffs. This is equivalent to 300 to 800 cigarettes. The Geek Bar is very popular among teens, raising concerns about their accessibility and potential health risks, including nicotine addiction, respiratory problems, and potential damage to lungs.
Unlike regular marijuana, which on average contains about 15 percent tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), vaping concentrates can contain THC levels that could range from 40 percent to over 80 percent.
For those who use a THC vape, Puffin is the most popular on local school campuses.. Puffin comes in many flavors, including Banana Ice, Blue Razz, Cola, Gummy Bear, Lush Ice, Mango Ice, Peach Ice, Pineapple, and Strawberry Ice. From the Puffin website – The Impact of THC on Vaping Experience: THC plays a significant role in the vaping experience, influencing factors such as intensity, duration, and psychoactive effects. By selecting the right THC content in your Puffin vape pen products, you can customize your sessions to achieve the desired effects that align with your tolerance and preferences.
Vaping by students was getting out of hand at the beginning of the school year, leading the administration to be proactive on many fronts, including the locking of restrooms during class time so students wouldn’t go inside to vape. Numerous students report they won’t use restrooms because of the amount of vaping that is going on at both the middle school and high school.
Even though there is no “smoke” from devices, what is emitted subjects those around the user to second-hand vape. While vaping is generally considered less harmful than secondhand smoke, it still poses significant health risks since the aerosol contains a variety of chemicals, including nicotine, heavy metals, and ultrafine particles and volatile compounds that can get into the lungs and respiratory system.
South Tahoe High School (STHS)
So far this school year, 59 students have been referred to the South Tahoe High School administrators for nicotine, THC vape, or alcohol use. No other substances have been reported. About two-thirds of confiscated vape devices at the school have contained nicotine, and one-third contained THC, with no other substances in the devices like those found at Douglas High.
South Lake Tahoe Police Officer Tim Peterson is the school district’s “school resource officer,” a position that is financially supported by both the City of South Lake Tahoe and Lake Tahoe Unified School District. He said vaping is becoming a bigger problem than it’s ever been. He confiscates about three vape pens a week on campus, and that doesn’t include what the school administration finds.
“Vaping is very popular among kids,” said Peterson.
He said students who are caught with the illegal items on campus are telling him they bought them online, or refusing to say how they came into possession of the vapes. If they order online, the items are mailed to their homes or somewhere else they have access to. The common items he sees are not reused, or taken apart to refill – they get tossed when done, as its cheaper to buy the disposable, rechargeable vape pens.
STHS Principal Justin Zunino said the students that staff talks with consistently report purchasing the devices from local stores.
The common excuses Peterson hears from the students he sees are, “Oh, I got it from my friends,” or, “It’s not my vape and I’m just holding it for my friend.”
Zunino said, to address the vaping trend, the school has implemented the following strategies:
- Brief Intervention Program (BIP): All referred students participate in BIP, a 2-4 session intervention using evidence-based approaches like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Motivational Interviewing.
- Referral to partnership agencies: Offers individuals and families substance use prevention/education services and treatment of substance use disorders.
- Enhanced Supervision: Increased staff supervision in restrooms, our identified high-risk area.
- Accountability: Students are held accountable through disciplinary actions and restorative practice approaches, including research projects, community service, and substance abuse education/prevention groups.
- Schoolwide Messaging: Staff and students are working to increase promotion of healthy habits through messaging, while health classes educate on the risks of vaping and drug use.
If police are involved, if deemed appropriate, and the vape contains THC, the student can be issued a citation, and part of the consequences include a drug awareness class that needs to be completed along with community service
If the student is 18, and caught on campus with a THC vape, it is a misdemeanor – 1st offense fine is $250, an infraction, and 2nd offense can end with jail time of up to 10 days and/or $500 fine. If the student is under 18, it is an infraction if cannabis or concentrated cannabis. They are required to take first offense drug education or counseling and up to 40 hours of community service. A second offense is 10 hours of drug education or counseling and up to 60 hours of community service.
The rules are outlined in the health and safety code. Peterson said there have been about 20 kids caught with THC vape possession this school year by police; school staff can also deal with this and handle it by themselves. Peterson’s locked office drawer currently has about 60-70 vapes inside at this time – about two-thirds are Geek Bar, and one-third are THC, he said.
“It’s a problem – kids are addicted,” said STHS Asst. Principal Heather Hart.
Two STHS athletes were recently caught vaping. Per school and NIAA (Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association) rules, they are banned from competition for six weeks (or they can go to drug education and return in two weeks). The NIAA prohibits the use of tobacco, e-cigarettes, and other nicotine products by student-athletes, with penalties for violations including suspension from interscholastic competition.
“The well-being of South Tahoe High School students is our utmost priority,” added Zunino. “While we acknowledge the prevalence of vaping among youth, we are committed to actively educating, supporting, and implementing strategies to reduce and eliminate its use.”
South Tahoe Middle School (STMS)
The middle school is not seeing as many cases as the high school, but it’s definitely happening there, said Peterson, who splits his time between the two schools.
Being the age of a middle schooler isn’t always easy, and they are experiencing many changes to their bodies and minds. Science shows that once you add the addictiveness of nicotine, behavioral problems will arise on top of everything else.
STMS Principal Cindy Martinez said they are collecting data on students caught vaping on campus. She said when asking the students when they started to vape, most say 4th or 5th grade.
“Third graders are even talking about it,” said Martinez.
The principal said they see about eight students a month who are caught with vape pens. They are primarily nicotine at STMS, but they do encounter THC vapes about once a month.
When students are found vaping, they are connected with services after talking to the family. They follow the education code for consequences, and try to understand what is happening and why the student is using it.
“We find out their ‘why’,” said Martinez.
The process includes an educational component with Mountain High Recovery, who are on campus weekly.
STMS uses a proactive approach before issues arise as well. They use connections with the Tahoe Alliance for Safe Kids, held an event with the recent National Alcohol and Drug Fact Week, use information sessions in informal settings, the annual Drug Store Project for sixth graders, as well as promoting healthy lifestyles through clubs. The school added six new clubs this year to provide opportunities for kids. The school has also offered family workshops.
“The rate of success with repeat offenders is high,” said Martinez. “We don’t always see second-timers.” She said it is not as much an intervention at the middle school as it is education.
A staff member was recently fired who was vaping on campus. The details cannot be disclosed, but once the situation was known, the staff member was let go.
Martinez said a community approach to the problem is important as the vapes are coming into schools from the outside.
Youth vaping – there is help
“While we remain dedicated to working directly with students, we believe a community-wide approach is essential for greater effectiveness,” said Zunino. “We urge parents to be vigilant and to contact the school for assistance. In the end, we all want the best for our students, and we’re here to partner with our South Lake Tahoe community in achieving this goal!?”
Peterson said parents should have a conversation with their kids, educate themselves on the dangers of vaping, as it is habit-forming and detrimental to a developing mind. He said teach them how to say “no” and that it is okay to say “no” and walk away when offered a vape.
Martinez agreed, have the conversation at home.
There are several resources for parents, including the following:
Resources for kids, parents, and schools, including toolkits, flyers, and multiple links for information – https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/e-cigarettes/youth-quitting.html
Ditch the Vape – https://ipghealth.com/our-work/ditch-the-vape
What parents should know – https://health.choc.org/teens-and-vaping-what-parents-should-know/
How to tell if your child is vaping – https://health.choc.org/teens-and-vaping-what-parents-should-know/
Vaping, what parents should know – https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/e-cigarettes.html
Helping kids “ditch the vape”: https://vapefreect.org/support-for-parents/
Resources for youth who want to reject (Say No) or quit – https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/e-cigarettes/youth-quitting.html
The truth of vaping – https://www.thetruth.com/vaping-x-health
Text message program from Truth Initiative helps teens quit e-cigarettes. Studies found that teens enrolled in Truth Initiative’s text message-based quit-vaping program were 35 percent more likely to quit vaping nicotine within seven months compared to those not enrolled in the program. Text DITCHVAPE TO 88709.
The law and stores that sell vape supplies
It is legal for stores to sell tobacco vape supplies in the state once licensed, but they must adhere to the federal “Tobacco 21” law, which prohibits sales to anyone under 21. This includes e-cigarettes, vapes, and other tobacco products.
They must also follow regulations regarding flavored tobacco products – California prohibits the sale of flavored tobacco products, including flavored e-cigarettes, vapes, e-liquids, pods, and cartridges to customers of any age.
Assembly Bill (AB) 3218 became effective on January 1, 2025, to strengthen California’s flavored tobacco laws. The Attorney General created an “Unflavored Tobacco List” of unflavored products legal for sale as outlined in the new regulation. AB 3218 prohibits prohibes online and delivery sales of illegal flavored tobacco products, requires tobacco sellers and deliverers to comply with all state and local tobacco laws that apply to local retailers where the products are shipped, allows the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration and other enforcing agencies to seize illegal flavored tobacco products found during inspections, increased penalties for noncompliant retailers, and updated penalties for retailers selling to minors. Fines for retailers caught selling the illegal products outlined in AB 3218 start at $50 per package confiscated and lead up to their license being revoked for the third offense.
Federal law prohibits the sale of closed system devices (pods, cartridges) containing e-liquid in flavors other than tobacco or menthol. States, like California, can further restrict the rules.