Ever since the modern e-cig was introduced by Hon Lik in 2000, their popularity has only increased. With electronic cigarette sales sky rocketing from 50,000 in 2008 to 1.7 billion in 2013, many Americans have taken a liking to e-cigs. Many of them are teenagers. Students at Geneva High School haven’t been an exception. Mainly found among young men at GHS, e-cigs are being used either as an alternative to cigarettes, under the common assumption that it is healthier or, in addition to normal tobacco products.  E-cigs come in many different appearances, and along with their ubiquitous up rise, have caused controversial debates over their effects on our bodies.

Throughout my four years of high school, I have seen electronic cigarettes grow in popularity first hand. From being completely unheard of in freshman year to seeing them almost every day now, e-cigs have become a favored method of nicotine consumption, as well as a subject of social interactions. As a student it is entirely common to run into a fellow peer engaging in clandestine uses of their e-cig in school. One way of going about this could be escaping to the bathroom for a quick session of “vaping”. A riskier approach is to simply do it in class. Since the vapor produced is virtually odorless and only lingers for a limited amount of time, students are given more opportunities to partake in their e-cigs, as long as they keep it concealed and the vapor managed. This puts the use of e-cigs at the same level of ease as smokeless tobacco products, while still having the same qualities as a product you would smoke. Now that students are equipped with this advantage, many teachers are unaware of the ongoing activity or even that such a thing occurs right under their noses. Not everyone escapes punishment though, when asked his thoughts on whether the punishment is unfair or not, a student who was recently reprimanded says, “Yes, very much so considering one of our own teachers uses (chewing) tobacco in class”. After seeing one of their teachers partake in tobacco use, it may seem that such a thing as e-cigs may not be considered bad to a student.

Many people share speculation of what exactly an e-cig is and how it operates. The way one works is by a battery heating up the liquid containing nicotine, flavoring and chemicals such as glycerin and polyethylene glycol (both used in fog machines) as well as items like food coloring and soft drinks. After this juice is heated up, a vapor that resembles real smoke is produced. Consumers can choose to have a limited use and get disposable e-cigs, many with the shapes, sizes and often the colors of a normal cigarette. Another option they possess is to buy a rechargeable battery that is accompanied by a refillable tank and mouthpiece that screws onto the usually cylinder battery. Once you have a charger for the type of battery, you can buy any combination. After that, the only thing you need to buy regularly is the juice, which appears in many flavors and has ranging nicotine content.

Since they first came out, there has been discussion over the health risks following e-cigs. There has also been talk of the potential benefits. The question if electronic cigarettes are better than their counterparts goes long unanswered. There lacks any in-depth and long term studies on the e-cigs effects. So far, the evidence is pointing towards it being a slightly healthier alternative. Some good things that have been said are: the amount of harmful secondhand smoke intake is greatly reduced and they have the potential to help current smokers quit in cessation. Of course, the only way that e-cigs could be viewed as helpful is if you are currently a smoker. They still have some of the same adverse effects from nicotine. You can still get addicted and eventually use normal tobacco products, especially if you are not already a tobacco user. Electronic cigarettes are also yet to be regulated by the FDA; although, a new bill has been proposed that would encompass Electronic cigarettes under their inspection. Electronic cigarettes continue to be a hotly debated topic in the medical field and in our schools.