Vaping has become a significant concern in Marietta City Schools, Georgia, which serves around 8,500 students. Superintendent Grant Rivera described it as "the biggest issue" facing school administrators and teachers. The urgency of the situation has caught the attention of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The Office of the Surgeon General labeled youth vaping an ongoing "epidemic" and released a Youth Vaping Resource Guide to raise awareness.

A recent poll from C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital revealed that 56% of U.S. parents view smoking and vaping as major problems for children and teens. According to a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over 1.6 million students in the U.S. reported using vapes during the 2023-2024 school year. Experts emphasize that vaping is not limited to high school students or those struggling academically.

Jennifer Folkenroth, a senior director at the American Lung Association, noted, "Kids that were using traditional cigarettes in the past, they really were the rebels. ... They now are the college-driven, the aspirational, the key students and athletes of the school districts." Rivera shared a concerning anecdote from a recent visit to a middle school. A school resource officer showed him three gallon-sized Ziploc bags filled with vapes, stating, "These are just the ones we caught."

The issue has escalated to the point where Rivera's district plans to prioritize addressing vaping in the 2025-2026 school year. He expressed alarm over the health risks, stating, "We see that children are vaping and they don't know what they're inhaling. We've had numerous situations where kids have passed out, kids have been unconscious. We've had to call 911 and some of those have been linked back to vaping."

Experts warn that vaping can pose greater health risks than traditional smoking. The National Institute on Drug Abuse defines vapes as battery-operated devices used to inhale an aerosol, which often contains flavorings, chemicals, and addictive substances like nicotine. Dr. Rachel Boykan, a pediatric hospitalist and member of the American Academy of Pediatrics Tobacco Consortium, explained that some vape devices can deliver the equivalent of 600 cigarettes in one device.

"A cigarette delivers about one to two milligrams of nicotine per cigarette. Some of these more recently popular [vape] devices ... can deliver as many as 600 cigarettes, so 30 packs of cigarettes, in one device," Boykan said. She highlighted the addiction potential, noting that many young users vape frequently, with some using them 20 to 30 days a month or even daily.

"Even if it's 6%, that's like one in 15 kids, one in every classroom, who has this problem. ... It's just a lot of kids in general that need help," Boykan added. The long-term implications of early vaping habits can affect mental health and behavior, raising concerns among educators and health professionals alike.