A seventh person has now died of a lung disease related to vaping as President Donald Trump is working with the FDA to ban flavored e-cigarettes. Frisco ISD is doing their part to combat vaping among students by hosting a vaping prevention seminar “The Truth about Vaping” for parents Wednesday from 6:30 to 8 p.m. in Frisco ISD Administration Building Board Room.  

School district Safe Schools Coordinator James Caldwell encourages parents to attend the seminar as they can get information to keep their students from vaping.

“I mean parents can play a big role in not only preventing their kids from vaping but just substance abuse in general by just having the knowledge of the facts themselves about whatever abuse they’re talking about,” Caldwell said. “There’s actually a site that they can go to that we’re going to tell him about Wednesday night that would give them step by step directions on how to approach their kids about vaping or any other substance.”

The seminar will open with a speech from a representative of Catch My Breath, followed by Frisco Police Department Deputy Chief Shilson who will speak about the consequences of vaping before opening up a panel where parents can ask questions.

“If a student is caught vaping in the school I usually use my discretion and they will get a verbal warning the first time, and I’ll confiscate their vape,” school resource officer Glen Hubbard said. “But the school will still contact their parents, and the school will still give discipline for it. Typically I give a verbal warning the first time, and explain the consequences of getting caught with it again, and then that will be it. Typically it [a citation] is about $180, it’s like getting a traffic ticket, Class C Misdemeanor, stays within the city, and it’s sealed after they turn 18.”

Caldwell emphasizes that friends can play a big part in helping their peers struggling with vaping as he says a large portion of the 2,100 reports of vaping on the Stopit app last year were about vaping.

“The problem is a lot of times people who use hang out with other people who use and so they don’t get their peers to ask them to stop,” Caldwell said. “I think if you’re a good friend, stepping in stepping up to the plate, and saying ‘hey I care about you, I see that you’re hurting yourself, you’re having problems’ [can help]. Failing performance [in vaping students] could be in athletics, could be in the classroom, could be appearing more irritable, or getting sick often, having some respiratory problems. Anytime you see signs like that I think peers can jump in and report. Don’t be afraid to report.”

AP Human Geography teacher and father Tim Johannes has a child in high school and has concerns over vaping, stemming largely from being unsure of the harmful long term effects of using e-cigarettes.

“When it first appeared a few years ago, we discussed the dangers of not knowing what could happen from vaping,” Johannes said. “People can buy it and sell it, and it’s not being regulated. Nothing good can come from that. Obviously, anything you put in your body, it’d be nice to know you know, ‘what is in it? Is it good for me or bad for me? What is it going to do to my lungs?’”

While students might be afraid to approach school administration for  fear of being punished, Caldwell says that counselors can be of help in students looking to quit vaping.

“I think one of the best ways is to start talking to your counselor, you’re not going to get in trouble, they’re not going, punish you or anything if you go down there and you ask for help, just like if you go down for help for anything else,” Caldwell said. “The counselor can calm students down and many times they got some outside treatment, certain cases it saved lives.”