E-cigarettes are unsafe for children — but despite the risks, students in Corpus Christi are taking part in the vaping trend.
According to data provided by Corpus Christi Independent School District, between August and December, district middle schools reported 225 vaping infractions. High schools reported 216. Last week, vape smoke set off an alarm in a restroom at Kaffie Middle School.
“What we’ve kind of gleaned is that with a lot of these kids, the reason for vaping could be peer pressure, or they could be dealing with stress, or it could be an addiction because vapes are very addictive,” CCISD director of student support services Ronald Kanipes said. “They could be habitual users.”
Though rare, it’s not unheard of for an elementary school student to bring a vape to school, perhaps bringing one they found at home to show off to other children.
“It’s not a whole lot, but there have been a few,” Kanipes said.
The district’s HOPE symposium Wednesday evening at Carroll High School focused on vaping prevention, as well as promoting health and wellness resources in the community.