Tampa Prep Responds to the Rise in Student Vaping

It is now easier than ever for students in high school to get their hands on vapes causing panic among school administration as they desperately try to find a solution for this

Photo+by+Coco+Hull

Photo by Coco Hull

Over the past four years, vaping has become a national phenomenon that has leaked its way into the Tampa Prep community. What started as a healthier alternative to smoking cigarettes has turned into a fad, which skeptics see as a gateway, allowing teenagers who previously never touched cigarettes to become addicted to nicotine. After decades of government intervention trying to minimize the impact of the smoking in the American community, the FDA fears that this trend could lead to a new generation of nicotine addicts, destroying all the progress the nation has made in creating the negative stigma surrounding cigarettes.

Vaping has quickly entered the Tampa Prep community, and it has sparked a massive debate with students, parents, faculty, and has put immense pressure on the administration to crack down on this problem. Over the past two months, a strange new device was installed in the men’s bathroom on the third floor. It did not take long for students to figure out that this device was actually a vape sensor, from the company FlySense, that measures air quality for a specific “vape signature,” that when detected, sends a text to members of administration alerting them to the situation instantly. However, as suddenly as they appeared, the vape sensors disappeared. When directly asked about why the devices were removed, Head of School Kevin Plummer felt it was not in the school’s best interest to comment on the subject. Since the device was removed from campus, it has sparked debate as to whether or not these sensors would return, and if they did, where they would they be placed. When asked if the devices would be installed in every bathroom of the school, Plummer responded, “We are a hundred percent committed to the safety and security of the school.”

On the topic of vaping in general, Plummer expressed his personal beliefs on the issue. “It’s a full-blown commitment to crowd out behaviors that are against the law, and any high school students who possess vape materials,” Plummer said. This mindset has led the administration to become more educated in the products, understand what causes kids to partake in vaping in general and what steps are needed to halt this quickly growing epidemic. In fact, high ranking faculty members, including Plummer as well as Head of Upper School Carl Carlson shared that they took personal trips to vape stores around the Tampa Bay area in order to familiarize themselves with the products, hoping that with more information, they would be better equipped to handle the situation. Through these trips, Plummer learned “the difference between a juul and a phix, an aspire, what are pods, what pods cost,” and other important facts surrounding the vape culture. Being well versed in these products shows the level of commitment administration has taken upon themselves to stand firm against this issue.

By claiming personal responsibility for the issue of vaping on campus, Plummer has taken drastic steps to ensure the safety of his students, such as looking into purchasing $16,000 worth of vape sensors to install in bathrooms, as well as expanding security cameras in and around the school. “It has become our responsibility to stand firm, to help kids make the right decisions,” Plummer said. This is a new era in Tampa Prep, as well as in the world. The world is at the cusp of a new generation of nicotine addicts, and it is showing no signs of slowing down. However, Plummer has made it his mission to use his power and influence in the school to take all the necessary steps to halt the progress of this epidemic, and to ensure the future safety of the students.