DOTHAN, Ala. (WTVY) – Vaping amongst school-aged children is a problem that educators battle every year. Part of new Alabama legislation that sets new vaping regulations could help with this problem.

“If it is in the public, it is in our public schools,” said Todd Mitchell, Principal of Carver 9th Grade Academy in Dothan.

Mitchell has seen vaping become an issue too often in schools.

“These e-companies have figured out how to put flavor into nicotine, and it really entices kids through nicotine and flavoring, so we have to combat that. We see it on the secondary level and also the elementary level,“ Mitchell said.

However, new vaping regulations in Alabama’s House Bill 8 went into effect this month that outline a new responsibility for the state’s education system.

Houston County Schools Superintendent Brandy White said this is something many schools are looking at this summer.

“House Bill 8 will require the state board of education to mandate a program for prevention and awareness, and then the local boards of education will be required to pass a policy for implementation,“ White said.

Schools like Carver 9th Grade Academy have already addressed vaping in many ways.

“We partner with partners like the 334 Prevention Project, and they had a campaign this year called Drop the Vape, where kids could just drop the vape off in a box with no penalty or questions asked, but we also educate our kids. We get it in our kinesiology classes and health science classes, where students can see the negative effects of it,” Mitchell said.

The school also takes preventative measures like vape detectors that notify teachers, as well as support through counseling with SpectraCare.

Creating a statewide model could help Alabama schools attack this problem more efficiently.

“Uniformity is what we need, but then we also have to be able to communicate it to our students and staff. We have to manage this and engage our students,” Mitchell said.

School boards across the state of Alabama will vote to adopt the vaping policy to enforce.

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