Illegal teen vaping problem grows in Miami-Dade County and elsewhere, raising concerns over health impact from Commissioner Regalado | Key Biscayne
About two million middle and high school students in the US are linked to e-cigarette use in the US – 14% of them are high school students and 3.3% in middle school – students, according to a recent study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Flavored e-cigarette products that are popular among teens are a direct health threat, according to the CDC.
Side effects of vaping include breathing problems and organ damage, and kids are more likely to develop serious health issues since their bodies haven’t fully developed.
“This study shows that our nation’s youth continue to be enticed and hooked by an expanding variety of e-cigarette brands delivering flavored nicotine,” said Deirdre Lawrence Kittner, Ph.D., M.P.H., director of CDC’s Office on Smoking and Health. “It’s critical that we … prevent youth from starting to use any tobacco product, including e-cigarettes, and help all youth who do use them, to quit.”
Miami-Dade County Commissioner Raquel Regalado, who advocated for local and state regulations to protect children from vaping products as a Miami-Dade School Board member, has once again expressed her concern.
“Nine years ago … I passed legislation changing the MDCPS policy, prohibiting e-cigarettes and held town halls educating parents on the dangers of vaping,” said Regalado, whose district as a Commissioner includes Key Biscayne.
“On my radio show (on 1260-AM) we discussed the latest CDC warning.The findings are more concerning than ever.”
Regalado is urging parents to talk to their kids about the negative effects of e-cigarette and other vaping products. “Look over the CDC findings and talk to your tweens and teens about the dangers of vaping,” she said.
Anna Rhodes, a media specialist for Miami-Dade Schools, said the school system raises awareness of the dangers of vaping via social media, and also addresses the issue in the Code of Student of Conduct.
According to the Code of Student Conduct, students who are caught on school grounds with cigarettes and vaping products can face disciplinary actions and/or counseling.
Congress in 2019 passed legislation banning the sale of vaping products to people under 21.
A 2021 study by the University of Miami’s Area Health Education Center found that teens who have used an electronic vapor product rose from 2.60 percent in 2012 to 16.50 percent last year.
“A lot more nurses, at school health clinics, are saying vaping is a huge problem,” said Sabine Dulcio, an associate director of programs at the Children’s Trust. “Of particular concern is the marketing of different flavors for e-cigarettes, a not-so-subtle ploy to attract younger users.”
