As students return to class across Montana, schools are once again bracing for a challenge that hasn’t gone away youth vaping. Health officials say the numbers remain stubbornly high, and many kids are being exposed to nicotine before they even reach high school.
The Numbers Are Above the National Average
According to Jackie Semmens, state government relations director for the American Heart Association, roughly 1 in 5 Montana students have used an e-cigarette in the past 30 days a rate higher than the national average.
“It can really set kids up for a lifetime of addiction,” Semmens said, pointing to how early nicotine exposure through vaping can shape long-term habits.
Why Kids Keep Picking It Up
Health officials point to a familiar mix of factors driving youth vaping: social media exposure, fruity flavors, and colorful, eye-catching marketing that continues to make these products appealing to young people.
What Schools Are Seeing on the Ground
In East Helena, school resource officer Jeff Stoltz says vape devices are still turning up on campus more often than expected. “It’s a lot more frequent than anticipated,” he said.
Stoltz described how students often try to vape in private spots especially school bathrooms, which is why many schools have installed vape detectors there. He noted that the fruity flavors used in many vape products also tend to give students away, since they carry a distinct, noticeable smell.
A Shift From Enforcement to Education
Despite ongoing struggles with the habit on campus, school staff say many students genuinely want to quit once they notice the physical effects. “They feel the change in their body,” Stoltz said. “They recognize that it’s unhealthy and their breathing has changed. They want to quit; they just have to have the willpower to get there.”
This year, school and health officials say their focus isn’t purely on catching students in the act it’s on education and prevention, aiming to reach kids before they pick up the habit in the first place.
Source: KBZK News
