Committee secures passage of bill to prohibit vaping on school property

OKLAHOMA CITY – State Rep. Mark Vancuren, R-Owasso, this morning won unanimous passage of a bill that will prohibit vapor products on school property in the House Common Education Committee.

Senate Bill 33, authored by Vancuren and Sen. J.J. Dossett, D-Owasso, modifies the 24.7 Tobacco-Free Schools Act. The committee passed the bill 16-0. It is now eligible to be considered by the entire House.

“This legislation protects young people who use vapor products as well as those who would be harmed by the second-hand vapors emitted from such devices,” Vancuren said. “It allows our school districts to remain smoke- and vapor-free places where students can learn in healthy environments.”

In case you were not aware, the definition of vaping is the act of inhaling smoke-looking vapor from an electronic cigarette or vape device. Put simply, vaping simulates smoking but in a less harmful manner. A flavored nicotine liquid called vape juice (such as the Shortfill eliquids range) is what is actually inside a vape, but not all vapes contain nicotine. The user of the vaping device decides the flavor and amount of nicotine they wish to use if any at all.

Vancuren said it would be up to local districts to set their own discipline policies around the prohibited use of vapor products. He also noted information from the Surgeon General of the United States that supports this prohibition.

E-cigarette use among U.S. middle and high school students increased 900 percent from 2011 to 2015, before, declining for the first time between 2015 and 2017. However, current e-cigarette use increased 78 percent among high school students during the past year, from 11.7 percent in 2017 to 20.8 percent in 2018. In 2018, more than 3.6 million U.S. youth, including 1 in 5 high school students and 1 in 20 middle school students, currently use e-cigarettes. In 2016, one-third of U.S. middle and high school students who ever used e-cigarettes had used marijuana in e-cigarettes.

Mark Vancuren is a 30- year public school and college educator and basketball coach whose life has been dedicated to the health and wellbeing of young people.