The Role of the School Nurse in Creating a Vape-Free School

Electronic, or "e"-cigarette use has been adopted by an alarming number of teens in recent years. E-cigarettes are neither legal for youth nor considered safe for use by youth. E-cigarette companies have targeted youth in their marketing strategies and developed appealing flavors with high nicotine content to ensure dependence on their products. Schools lack adequate resources and capacity to address e-cigarette use, relying mostly on punitive sanctions for what is essentially a health issue. School nurses can help their districts and schools by navigating appropriate consequences for vaping, providing accurate information and education, providing cessation resources, advocating for student support, and informing stakeholders on population health strategies to prevent initiation and reduce youth e-cigarette use.