Tom Bright, a senior at Franklin Regional Senior
High School (FRSH) and a welding student at
Northern Westmoreland Career and Technical Center
(NWCTC) won 3rd Place in the American Welding
Society’s 38th Annual Weld-Off Competition. Thirty
technical schools located in Pennsylvania, West
Virginia, and Ohio participated in the competition.
Mr. Bright earned two x-ray quality certifications in
the vertical and overhead positions, using Shielded
Metal Arc Welding (SMAW). SMAW is a manual arc
welding process that uses a consumable electrode
covered with a flux to lay the weld. Mr. Bright won
$100 and was presented with his award during a
ceremony conducted at the Steamfitters Local 449
Technology Center in Harmony, PA on February 19.
FR Parents Learn About the New Look of Teen Addiction
V
aping, JUULing, and Dabbing
are just some of the buzz terms
parents who attended Franklin
Regional School District’s “The New
Look of Addiction” event learned.
The evening was aimed at educating
parents, grandparents, and guardians
on the dangers associated with vaping
and illegal & prescription drug use.
Presentations were given by the
Murrysville and Westmoreland County
Police Departments, the Westmoreland
County Coroner’s Office, Outside In,
and Excela Health. Visitors also had the
chance to tour a child’s mock bedroom that
showcased devices and places used to hide
drugs, alcohol, and vaping products right in
plain sight.
What is Vaping, JUULing, and e-cigarettes?
Vaping and e-cigarettes are the same thing.
Vaping is defined as an alternative smoking
device that takes a liquid, commonly referred
to as e-liquid, and heats it into an aerosol or
a vapor, hence the term “vaping.” Instead
of inhaling the combusted tobacco from a
regular cigarette, the user inhales potentially
harmful chemicals and the addictive chemical
known as nicotine in the e-liquid via a vape
pen. The vapor enters the blood stream at a
rapid rate.
According to the National Institute on
Drug Abuse, 2 out of every 5 students in 12th
grade in the United States reported vaping in
the last year. In a recent report, 17.6% of 8th
graders, 32.3 % of 10th graders, and 37.3% of
12th graders reported vaping either nicotine,
marijuana, hash oil, or flavoring over the past
12 months.
“Contrary to myths, e-cigarettes and
vaping are not safe alternatives to smoking
cigarettes,” said Dr. Bill Jenkins, Emergency
Medicine Specialist at Excela Hospital in
Greensburg. “Nearly 500 brands and 7,700
flavors of e-liquid are marketed to consumers
every year and few to NONE are FDA (Federal
Drug Administration) evaluated.”
Dr. Jenkins also explained that there are
toxins and carcinogens that comprise the
ingredients of some e-liquids; however,
38
MURRYSVILLE
despite this fact those chemicals are not
listed as ingredients on the label, because
there is no current FDA labeling requirements
for e-liquids, except for the generic nicotine
warning from the Surgeon General.
“The FDA is involved, but is far behind in
the science analysis, evaluation, and approval
process,” said Dr. Jenkins.
Dr. Jenkins said that because of the
higher nicotine concentrations, teens who
use e-cigarettes are at increased risk of
smoking traditional cigarettes. Adults who
use e-cigarettes as a way to quit smoking
may actually be exposing themselves to
higher concentrations of nicotine and many
unknown toxins.
“The risk of poisoning is also high because
e-liquids can be absorbed through the skin
or ingested,” said Dr. Jenkins. “Less than a half
teaspoon of liquid nicotine can be fatal to a
toddler.”
A Growing Trend
So why is vaping rapidly growing in
popularity with middle and high school
teens? Unlike old-fashioned tobacco
cigarettes, high dose nicotine devices, such as
JUUL and e-cigarettes, are discreet and easily
hidden from parents and teachers and the
smoke cloud from a JUUL can be concealed
more easily than a traditional vaping device.
Vaping devices also provide a high dose
nicotine “buzz” and are highly addictive,
especially in a developing youth or
adolescent brain.
“One pod of JUUL e-liquid is equal to
just one pack of cigarettes,” said Dr. Jenkins.
“63% of youth JUUL users didn’t even realize
that every JUUL contains nicotine and is the
HIGHEST nicotine content e-cigarette on the
market.
According to Dr. Jenkins, latest research
tell us that the new trend in vaping is
called “Dabbing.” Dabbing is simply vaping
marijuana. This is done by heating cannabis
oil allowing the inhalation of concentrated
THC. A typical marijuana “joint” contains 3-5%
THC whereas the typical “dab” contains 60-
90% THC.
Long-Term Effects of Vaping
Dr. Jenkins cautioned parents on the
long-term effects of teen vaping, which
include: cardiovascular side effects that
mirror those of cigarette use, pulmonary
side effects that may be more pronounced
than regular cigarette use since the particles
inhaled during vaping are finer and travel
deeper into the pulmonary system, addictive
properties, which may actually increase the
rate of ongoing vaping or cigarette use,
and unknown consequences of inhaled,
unregulated ingredients such as toxic effects
and carcinogens.
The chemicals found in e-cigarette liquid,
known as “e-juice,” may be a potential cause
of popcorn lung. According to the American
Lung Association, using electronic cigarettes
or vaping, particularly the flavored varieties,
can cause popcorn lung. Popcorn lung
(bronchiolitis obliterans) is a type of lung
disease, but it is not cancer.
Resources for Parents
If your teen is experimenting with
vaping and other substances, parents can
reach out to Outside In in Greensburg,
Pennsylvania. Outside In provides outpatient
substance abuse treatment, including
Multidimensional Family Therapy. They can
be reached at 724-837-1518.
Franklin Regional school nurses and
counselors are also available for parents to
speak with about any issues or concerns
they may have. Contact information can
be found on the District’s website at www.
franklinregional.k12.pa.us