Owasso Public Schools Holds Community Meeting About Vaping

Owasso Public Schools are educating students and parents alike about the dangers of vaping and e-cigarettes. On Tuesday, the school held a community meeting aimed at giving parents and students a better understanding.

Many Parents at Owasso tell News On 6, they believe that this is a big issue and one that needs to be addressed head-on. As the Tulsa Health Department calls e-cigarette use and vaping an epidemic.

Parents Lori Phillips and Sarah Davidson, both have kids in Owasso High School. They said attended the meeting along with their kids to learn about vaping and e-cigarettes, something they admit, they know little about. 

"I wanna get educated on what's actually going through our schools the vaping how it's being accessed to the kids," said parent Sarah Davidson.

And that's what the Tulsa Health Department, educators, and some politicians hope to accomplish too.

"The brain is still growing and maturing up until the age of 25 and so we don't know the impact of all the nicotine that is in these e-cigarettes," said Vicki Wagner, a Sector Specialist with Tulsa Health Department.

Dr. Susan Walley, a Professor of Pediatrics said young adults who use e-cigarettes are more likely to go on to use conventional cigarettes.

"E-cigarettes are not safe because they contain toxic chemicals many of which are found in cigarettes as well as nicotine which we know is an addictive substance said Dr. Susan Walley, a Professor of Pediatrics at  the University of Alabama at Birmingham."

And while many schools ban e-cigarettes and vaping like Owasso Schools, Senator J.J. Dossett hopes that Senate Bill 33 would carry more weight as law than just school policy.

New Bill Would Ban Vaping At Oklahoma Schools 

"Think about school policy any school policy you want to. Wearing a hat in the hallway or shorts too short. Or whatever else. I think we need to elevate nicotine delivery above school policy" Said Senator J.J. Dossett (D) of Owasso.

As many parents continue to learn and educate their kids

"Its really bad for you just like other things drugs and whatnot," said Lori Phillips a parent.

"It's unhealthy even if everybody is doing it it's unhealthy there is nothing good to it," said parent Sarah Davidson.

Senate Bill 33 will now be looked at by the full Senate. If it becomes a law, anyone found breaking it could face fines up to $100.