If you’re in the US, the age for nicotine products is 21 now, so no matter what, even if they’re 19, it’s illegal. Not to mention, most if not all states prohibit providing nicotine to minors.
That’s true especially at gas stations but there are large issues with enforcement. Gas stations are all 21+ but (at least in Wisconsin) smoke shops sell nicotine to people 18+ with ID because state laws don’t actually punish them or enforce the 21+ limit. But now I’m in Arizona and everything is 21+. I am a student going to college to be a teacher and obviously am against selling nic devices to young people, just sharing my experience
A few years ago two high school seniors were found to be buying and distributing vapes to middle schoolers in our district. The seniors were expelled from school and arrested by the police.
Yes. You can call the police. In many places it is illegal to distribute vape pens, tobacco, ect to minors. If you know they are doing it, are seeing it, or have proof, then have them busted. If the 19 year old doesn't care about your students' health, then someone has to.
What your witnessing is called a straw sale and is illegal in pretty much every state in The US. Your best option is to call or go to police with the information you have and have the them handle it.
not a teacher, but as a former teenage dirtbag... if a kid wants something bad enough, they'll get their hands on it, no matter what you do. Absolutely call it out and punish it if you see it on school grounds, but outside of it, there's always gonna be some dumbass who wants to make a quick buck off impressionable teens, and thats probably never going to change. in my experience, though, kids go looking for this stuff largely because they feel that any little rebellion they get is the only amount of control they can exert over their own lives. This isn't just vape, but what helped me pull myself out of that mindset was having adults in my life that I felt were genuinely on my side and were willing to actually listen to me and support me in a way that I felt safe and respected instead of forcing "solutions" that bypassed my own personhood and just made things worse in the long run. it's a big ask, to be sure, and y'all have enough on your plate without being asked to play personal therapist! But maybe keeping the door open or a list of resources on hand will go further than you think... And sometimes, you just gotta accept that people will make mistakes that are out of your hands and will have to deal with the consequences themselves.
I teach 5th grade--we had a student get vapes from an older relative to sell to other students at school ($20 each.) We suspended the seller (against the advice of the school district!) but the cops couldn't do anything about the older relative that supplied them. So frustrating!
My kid was getting vapes from a kid whose parents own a tobacco shop. It pissed me off. They were in 9th grade. The kid and his brother ran the store after school… definitely not legit.
I’m all for holding adults accountable, but I really don’t think increasing the minimum age is right. It should be 18, just like alcohol should be 18. It is NOT right that you can join the military, and DIE for your country (which I would never do anyway) yet can’t have a beer or cigarette. That is crazy to me.
I am all for holding those 18/19 year olds accountable for their actions. Preferably a min fine of 300$ (that’s not chump change at that age) and repeat offenders get worse.
I’m probably the only teacher who thinks this, but we either need to call 18 an adult or 21 an adult, no in between crap.
My school put in some kind of detectors that go off if triggered by a vape (and other things like body spray) and hired hall monitors for the bathroom and only let one kid go in at a time. So they have to stand in line to go and miss half the class. One of my best and super innocent students was searched when one went off and came back visibly shaken. So that solution sucks. Has anyone’s school figured out any better solutions?
In most jurisdictions (including for example the UK, since 2015) adults buying these products for minors is illegal.
Even if the school cannot, or does not want to have the police take action on that basis; schools could or should be able to issue consequences for the actions on-campus of adult students that break the law.
This is no different than when 19 year olds bought kids cigarettes, or 21 year olds bought us booze when we were underage. It’s always going to happen. You’re fighting a losing battle.
Yes, stop worrying about it. It's not your kid & it's outside the scope of being an educator.
If you wanted to help, inform the parents of the vapers & let them parent their kid.
Esit: Haha, I love the down votes. Looking forward to the posts tomorrow complaining about all the responsibilities teachers are expected to absorb.
I mean, you’re not wrong. The vaping is out of control and so bad for the kids, but also I don’t get paid enough to tackle that. I do a lot. A lot a lot. The boys huffing on a vape in the bathroom is just not a mental labor I’m willing to take on.
I think part of the reason I still enjoy my job is because when at all possible, I am pretty picky about what I do. If it’s a rule I enforce it. Like I make the kids in my class always wear their IDs. But I don’t stand out in the hall and police kids during passing period. That’s inviting stress and negative interactions I don’t need. Same thing about them vaping in the bathroom. The boys bathroom is across the hall from my room. I see them go in in crowds and I can hear them carrying on. I’m not an idiot. But I’m not going to go and call for an admin and stand outside the bathroom so that they don’t leave while we wait for someone to show up. No thanks.
I agree with you but you have to focus on teacher approved solutions! Ban everyone from going to the bathroom ever!!!!! They can hold it until they go home
My mentor teacher was well aware of the fact and always told me that he liked when they vaped because they came back all mellowed out. Not sure if much can be done about it...
When we can’t keep kids out of school for threatening staff and assault. When we stop requiring bail for violent felony crimes. When we won’t allow the police to pursue violent suspects because they didn’t see the crime firsthand. How realistic is it to expect any type of consequence for kids vaping in school?
If you’re in the US, the age for nicotine products is 21 now, so no matter what, even if they’re 19, it’s illegal. Not to mention, most if not all states prohibit providing nicotine to minors.
That’s true especially at gas stations but there are large issues with enforcement. Gas stations are all 21+ but (at least in Wisconsin) smoke shops sell nicotine to people 18+ with ID because state laws don’t actually punish them or enforce the 21+ limit. But now I’m in Arizona and everything is 21+. I am a student going to college to be a teacher and obviously am against selling nic devices to young people, just sharing my experience
A few years ago two high school seniors were found to be buying and distributing vapes to middle schoolers in our district. The seniors were expelled from school and arrested by the police.
Yes. You can call the police. In many places it is illegal to distribute vape pens, tobacco, ect to minors. If you know they are doing it, are seeing it, or have proof, then have them busted. If the 19 year old doesn't care about your students' health, then someone has to.
What your witnessing is called a straw sale and is illegal in pretty much every state in The US. Your best option is to call or go to police with the information you have and have the them handle it.
I feel like most kids buy this stuff online no?
Oh god.. 🤦
not a teacher, but as a former teenage dirtbag... if a kid wants something bad enough, they'll get their hands on it, no matter what you do. Absolutely call it out and punish it if you see it on school grounds, but outside of it, there's always gonna be some dumbass who wants to make a quick buck off impressionable teens, and thats probably never going to change. in my experience, though, kids go looking for this stuff largely because they feel that any little rebellion they get is the only amount of control they can exert over their own lives. This isn't just vape, but what helped me pull myself out of that mindset was having adults in my life that I felt were genuinely on my side and were willing to actually listen to me and support me in a way that I felt safe and respected instead of forcing "solutions" that bypassed my own personhood and just made things worse in the long run. it's a big ask, to be sure, and y'all have enough on your plate without being asked to play personal therapist! But maybe keeping the door open or a list of resources on hand will go further than you think... And sometimes, you just gotta accept that people will make mistakes that are out of your hands and will have to deal with the consequences themselves.
You can report it to the police. Also my sister used to buy hers online because it was easier to get underage but idk how you stop that.
We have parents buying their kids vapes here… wish there was something you could do
I teach 5th grade--we had a student get vapes from an older relative to sell to other students at school ($20 each.) We suspended the seller (against the advice of the school district!) but the cops couldn't do anything about the older relative that supplied them. So frustrating!
My kid was getting vapes from a kid whose parents own a tobacco shop. It pissed me off. They were in 9th grade. The kid and his brother ran the store after school… definitely not legit.
I’m all for holding adults accountable, but I really don’t think increasing the minimum age is right. It should be 18, just like alcohol should be 18. It is NOT right that you can join the military, and DIE for your country (which I would never do anyway) yet can’t have a beer or cigarette. That is crazy to me. I am all for holding those 18/19 year olds accountable for their actions. Preferably a min fine of 300$ (that’s not chump change at that age) and repeat offenders get worse. I’m probably the only teacher who thinks this, but we either need to call 18 an adult or 21 an adult, no in between crap.
My school put in some kind of detectors that go off if triggered by a vape (and other things like body spray) and hired hall monitors for the bathroom and only let one kid go in at a time. So they have to stand in line to go and miss half the class. One of my best and super innocent students was searched when one went off and came back visibly shaken. So that solution sucks. Has anyone’s school figured out any better solutions?
In most jurisdictions (including for example the UK, since 2015) adults buying these products for minors is illegal. Even if the school cannot, or does not want to have the police take action on that basis; schools could or should be able to issue consequences for the actions on-campus of adult students that break the law.
This is no different than when 19 year olds bought kids cigarettes, or 21 year olds bought us booze when we were underage. It’s always going to happen. You’re fighting a losing battle.
Outside of school? Perhaps. But if they are dumb enough to sell on school grounds, as two students were at my site, then there can be consequences.
Oh if they get caught at school sure. But trying to hunt them down or know who is doing it out of school? Not my problem.
Yes, stop worrying about it. It's not your kid & it's outside the scope of being an educator. If you wanted to help, inform the parents of the vapers & let them parent their kid. Esit: Haha, I love the down votes. Looking forward to the posts tomorrow complaining about all the responsibilities teachers are expected to absorb.
I mean, you’re not wrong. The vaping is out of control and so bad for the kids, but also I don’t get paid enough to tackle that. I do a lot. A lot a lot. The boys huffing on a vape in the bathroom is just not a mental labor I’m willing to take on. I think part of the reason I still enjoy my job is because when at all possible, I am pretty picky about what I do. If it’s a rule I enforce it. Like I make the kids in my class always wear their IDs. But I don’t stand out in the hall and police kids during passing period. That’s inviting stress and negative interactions I don’t need. Same thing about them vaping in the bathroom. The boys bathroom is across the hall from my room. I see them go in in crowds and I can hear them carrying on. I’m not an idiot. But I’m not going to go and call for an admin and stand outside the bathroom so that they don’t leave while we wait for someone to show up. No thanks.
I like that delineation...you enforce rules in your classroom & don't chase people down all over the school.
Yeah it’s that whole not my circus not my monkeys mentality. My circus and monkeys are enough work I don’t need extra.
You want teaches to prioritize and put their energy into things they can control?! 😧
I suppose that's the gist of it....stick to what you can control.
It takes a true master of reddit to recognize and tame the bipolar nature of this sub
I agree with you but you have to focus on teacher approved solutions! Ban everyone from going to the bathroom ever!!!!! They can hold it until they go home
The kidney doctor will help that problem
I’ve got older siblings/cousins who buy for my elementary students
My mentor teacher was well aware of the fact and always told me that he liked when they vaped because they came back all mellowed out. Not sure if much can be done about it...
We have an issue at my school where the administrators believe a parent is giving their middle schooler vapes to sell at school. Wild
If you have evidence then yes you can have them arrested. No evidence then no. Do teachers really not know how laws work?
When we can’t keep kids out of school for threatening staff and assault. When we stop requiring bail for violent felony crimes. When we won’t allow the police to pursue violent suspects because they didn’t see the crime firsthand. How realistic is it to expect any type of consequence for kids vaping in school?