A quiet crisis is unfolding in the hallways and bathrooms of high schools in Sacramento. Vaping, once thought to be a safer alternative to smoking, has taken a firm hold among teenagers, creating challenges for educators, parents, and the students themselves.
As part of a six-month investigation into teen vaping in Sacramento, student reporters from Sac School Beat interviewed their peers, shedding light on the realities of vaping and nicotine use in their schools. Their interviews offer an unfiltered look at how deeply this issue has penetrated the student experience.
Vaping in the shadows
For many students, vaping has become a routine part of school life. Angelina Gan, a Sacramento-based high school senior, described how vaping often occurs in the most private areas of her school.
“It’s normally always in the bathrooms . . . in the very far stalls,” she said. “And a lot of the time, I see, like, the same group of people too.”
These secretive gatherings are not isolated incidents but rather a common practice that has become almost ingrained in the daily routine of some students. Despite school efforts to monitor and discourage vaping, the behavior persists, often unnoticed by school officials.
The appeal of vaping
When asked why so many teens are drawn to vaping, the students pointed to several factors, with peer pressure and the appeal of flavored nicotine products topping the list. Angelina Gan shared a story about her sister’s classmate who tried vaping simply because it seemed “cool.”
“They were talking about it, and suddenly she was like, ‘Oh, I want to try. I think that sounds so cool,’” Angelina recounted.
Ella Griffin, a rising senior at Granite Bay High School, also noted the influence of advertising, which has often portrayed vaping as a safer alternative to smoking.
“They advertised it with cool flavors, which I feel enticed younger audiences,” Ella explained. These advertisements, seen on platforms ranging from social media to traditional radio, have successfully captured the attention of teens who might not have otherwise considered smoking.
Another student, Azriel Hu, pointed out the targeted nature of these ads.
“They’ve been flavoring it, which is supposed to attract teens and it’s supposed to aim towards the younger demographics as well,” Hu said.
School responses and challenges
Schools have responded to the vaping crisis with various measures, though students often question their effectiveness.
Students like Angelina question whether schools’ punitive actions, such as notifying parents or suspending students, actually address the root of the problem.
“I don’t think any of those [punishments] would really help the student… Maybe put them into or give them opportunities to go into programs that could nurture a healthier habit compared to vaping,” she suggested.
Hu observed that students often vape to appear “cool” or to rebel against authority figures, adding, “Once you get on it, you’re kind of addicted, so that’s also a big reason why.”
The role of parents
While schools grapple with how to effectively address vaping, many students believe that parents also play a crucial role in prevention. Anthony, a second-year student at Sierra College, emphasized the importance of parental involvement. He pointed out that many teens turn to vaping to escape from life’s challenges.
“I have a couple friends who do that because one, it’s a form of escapism… it gives them a little escape from the troubles in life,” he said.
Anthony also stressed that parents need to be proactive in discussing the dangers of vaping with their children.
“Parental guidance and advisement is definitely a role in that… make them aware of the substances and let them know that this is a bad path to go down,” he advised.
Hu agreed, suggesting that parents should adopt a “reasonable” tone when discussing vaping with their children, especially if it’s after being caught.
“I would hope a reasonable one. I hope they wouldn’t be like yelling at me or anything,” Hu said.
As vaping continues to challenge the well-being of students, the insights gathered by these student reporters offer a valuable perspective on how deeply this issue affects their daily lives.
The students’ experiences suggest that a combination of education, mental health support, and empathetic communication—both at school and at home—could be key to addressing the root causes of teen vaping.
This project was produced as part of a three-part story series for the USC Annenberg Center for Health Journalism’s 2024 California Fellowship. This story has also been featured on the website of the student education reporter program, SacSchoolbeat.com. Additional reporting by student reporters Benjamin Lopez, Kay Stout, Matthew Tong, Charynna Torres-Calderon Pe Benito, Rishi Upadhyay, and Rohan Upadhyay.
