The Forum

Even though health officials keep warning about nicotine addiction and breathing problems, it’s common to see students using e-cigarettes on campus. Walk around almost any college, and you’ll probably spot someone vaping even though the rules say you’re not supposed to. (Yang et al.) Not as many young adults smoke regular cigarettes these days, but vaping is everywhere. (Prevention, 2024) Ask around, and you’ll hear students say they vape to deal with stress, or just because it’s easy and it's become a habit. For some, it started as a way to handle tough classes or social nerves, while others just tried it because their friends did. Because e-cigarettes don’t smell much and are small, students can get away with using them in places where no one would ever try lighting up a cigarette. Still, health experts warn that we don’t really know all the risks yet, and vaping could turn out to be more dangerous than people think.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says e-cigarettes have nicotine, which is super addictive and can mess with young people’s brain development. Most vapes also have other chemicals that hurt your lungs. Even though companies say vaping is safer than smoking, health officials point out that safer isn’t the same as safe. Smoking and vaping are supposed to be banned on campus, and you’ll find signs everywhere, but lots of students admit that people break the rules all the time. (Zheng et al.)

“I see people vaping while walking to class sometimes, and someone was actually vaping in the hallway,” said Ella Hill, a student at Stlcc. “It’s just become normal. A lot of people don’t think it’s a big deal.” Plenty of students across the country say the same thing. In fact, research shows most people who use e-cigarettes tried them for the first time between ages 15 and 17, which means a lot of college students have been vaping for years by the time they get to campus. (Chen et al. 33-38) Hill said she started vaping in eighth grade after friends introduced her to it. She began because of peer pressure, but now she finds it hard to quit.

Health professionals say these beliefs make the problem worse. Flavored options, from minty to fruity, and stylish designs, like screens, can make e-cigarettes seem more appealing to teens and Young adults. Social media also affects how young adults see vaping. Some say many vaping products have harmful substances, like heavy metals such as nickel and lead. While research is ongoing, recent cases of lung injuries from vaping have raised public concern. Besides health risks, universities also struggle to control vaping on campus. Most smoke-free policies cover e-cigarettes, but enforcing them is difficult. Vaping devices do not smell much and are easy to hide, unlike regular cigarettes. ("Enforcement experiences on tobacco-free universities in California")

Dr. Karen Lewis, a public health professor at The George Washington University, said colleges need to balance enforcing rules with education. She suggests starting peer-led groups where students can learn about vaping risks and share ways to quit in an encouraging setting. “Enforcement alone doesn’t solve the issue. Students need clear information concerning the risks tied to nicotine use and support if they want to quit.” Dr. Karen Lewis says. Lewis also said nicotine addiction can happen quickly and may affect focus, mood, and overall health. She also said that college students often face more academic and social pressure, which can lead to worse substance use. (Rocha-Ávila et al.)

National surveys show that many e-cigarette users are young adults. Some students use vaping to try to quit smoking, while others start vaping without ever using tobacco before. Public health experts state this could lead to long-term nicotine addiction. ("E-cigarettes may complicate teen attempts to quit nicotine")

Universities across the country have introduced awareness efforts, programs, and counseling to help reduce nicotine use. Some schools work with campus health centers to offer resources for students who want to stop vaping and their nicotine addiction. While research continues, health experts urge students to think about the possible risks of using e-cigarettes. Even though vaping is common on college campuses, doctors say the long-term effects are still unknown. (Vilcassim et al. 23-30)

For many students, vaping starts as something they do because they see everyone else doing it. Experts say it is important to understand the health risks as colleges work to make campuses safer. By encouraging honest conversations and sharing reliable information, schools hope to reduce vaping and help students make healthier choices. I chose this topic because I used to vape and have since stopped due to breathing problems, and I want to teach others and encourage them to think of their health first.

Data collected from STLCC, SLUH, and Mizzou campuses:

70% of the people I talked to said that they currently vape 

100% of the people I asked said that they tried vaping before 

20% said they noticed a difference in their health or anxiety 

20% said they were working on quitting

Works Cited

“It’s Everywhere”: Middle and High School Educator Perspectives on Nicotine Use in Schools.” Truth Initiative, 2025, truthinitiative.org/research-resources/emerging-tobacco-products/its-everywhere-middle-and-high-school-educator.

American Lung Association. “Vape-Free Schools Initiative.” Www.lung.org, 2023, www.lung.org/quit-smoking/helping-teens-quit/vape-free-schools.

CDC. “Health Effects of Vaping.” Smoking and Tobacco Use, CDC, 31 Jan. 2025, www.cdc.gov/tobacco/e-cigarettes/health-effects.html.

---. “Protecting Youth from the Harms of Vaping.” Smoking and Tobacco Use, CDC, 16 May 2024, www.cdc.gov/tobacco/e-cigarettes/protecting-youth.html.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “E-Cigarette Use among Youth.” Smoking and Tobacco Use, CDC, 17 Oct. 2024, www.cdc.gov/tobacco/e-cigarettes/youth.html.

“Doctors Warn against Vaping.” Www.sanluisvalleyhealth.org, www.sanluisvalleyhealth.org/news/2019/september/vaping-hits-close-to-home/.

Townsend, Robert. “St. Louis Doctor Calls New CDC Vaping Findings “a Huge Discovery.”” Ksdk.com, KSDK, 8 Nov. 2019, www.ksdk.com/article/news/local/st-louis-doctor-new-cdc-vaping-findings-vitamin-e-acetate/63-58defac6-aa0a-41e7-b787-d8bc4621c4c0. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.