Vaping is the new, controversial form of smoking that is causing concern for Universities. Many have conflicting opinions on the matter of vaping being allowed on campus at Eastern Washington University.
According to VaperSoul.com, vaping is a form of e-liquid that is smoked with the vape pen that turns it into vapor. It consists of propylene, vegetable glycerin, or both in which these are used to create the unique flavors. The benefits of vaping include the orderless vapor and that it is less likely to cause cancer.
Washington State University in Pullman, Washington, is among roughly 1,100 universities in the nation that have a tobacco and nicotine free campus, according to Spokesman Review.
“Despite some objections, students, faculty, and staff, when given the opportunity to give feedback, all expressed overwhelming support for this policy,” student regent Jansen VanderMeulen said regarding the ban of vaping at Washington State University.
Many students are confused about the controversy of vaping. “I would leave vaping out [of bundling vaping and chewing into being banned] because we just don’t know enough about the health effects yet,” Taylor Stone said.
Students who don’t vape or who don’t encounter many people who do, find themselves wondering if it would affect them or not.
Hailey Bettendorf, a senior at EWU, said that she is neither for or against banning vaping on campus since she hasn’t been affected by it directly. “I’m not against [banning it], but I’m not for it either. Maybe because I don’t vape, but I just feel like I don’t really have much of an opinion on it because so far it hasn’t affected me in any way,” she said.
Conflicting opinions reside in students like Chad Averys. “I don’t like walking through a cloud of smoke when I come out of my class. It’s not healthy and I’m being forced to endure something that could potentially cause cancer,” he said.
Many who picked up the habit of smoking or vaping have said that it was for the social aspect. When a group of their friends were smoking or vaping, they joined in. “It’s a social thing and that makes it fun,” Destinee Thomas said.
Erica Cook felt the same way about it being a part of her social norm. She had friends who smoked and she followed suit. “I never smoked by myself, it was just with them,” she said.
VapeSoul.com admits that vaping is a safer alternative to smoking, but that the long-lasting effects are still unknown. “I don’t think it’s a problem necessarily. It all depends on how much nicotine is in them. I don’t really know what all is in them, but I do know you can get different levels of nicotine,” Sydney Porter said.
Chad Wood explained in more detail of the effects that vapor has on a person. “It’s a vaporizer. If you are prone to lung issues, you know, you don’t put a vaporizer in your house, let alone put one in your hand and start inhaling all that smoke,” he said. “Michelle [his sister] tried doing hers and she said 'it messes with my asthma.'”
Chloe Mell stated that she doesn't care as much when vaping takes place outside, but when she sees people vaping inside, it become an issue. When asked if she thinks that vaping is unhealthy she answered yes. “Vaping is super unhealthy because it crystalizes in your lungs,” she said.
According to ScienceDaily.com, vaping is a safer alternative to smoking cigarettes, but it still causes damage to the lungs. Researchers from the University of Athens in Greece took eight non-smokers and had them vape for 10 minutes. After the 10 minutes, they discovered a significant increase in airway resistance from an average 186 percent to 206 percent.
Professor Christina Gratziou, one of the authors and Chair of the ERS Tobacco Control Committee, said that the immediate rise in airway resistance indicates that vaping can cause immediate effects, but there still needs to be extensive research on the long term effects.
With the mixed feelings about banning vaping on EWU, only the final decision will tell us the outcome. “Ban it, it’s killing people,” Stone said. “ I think we need to be the generation that ends smoking."
