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Andy Donado still remembers the call he received a decade ago after his son was caught vaping THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) in a high school restroom. The consequences were severe. “He was almost charged with a third-degree felony. He got kicked out of school and was sent to a remedial school for his entire freshman year,” Donado says.
Educators today are increasingly trying to avoid that kind of outcome. Dr. Michael West Jr., a behavioral specialist at Florida A&M University Developmental Research School, works with K-12 students to address behavioral issues and help them return to their classrooms. Rather than focusing only on punishment, his school emphasizes restorative practices that address why students turn to vaping in the first place. “We have taken on a restorative justice approach instead of going the punitive route for our students,” West says.
Florida has also taken policy steps to curb youth vaping. Under state law, the attorney general can ban nicotine-dispensing devices designed to appeal to minors through features such as bright colors, concealability, or youth-focused branding. These efforts come amid growing concern about products disguised as everyday items, such as markers, car fobs, or lip gloss.
Florida A&M University’s Medical Marijuana Education and Research Initiative (MMERI) is also working to stem adolescent vaping. MMERI has launched the Youth Vaping Education and Empowerment Initiative, which includes a youth prevention module focused on decision-making skills, a parent module that helps families recognize warning signs, and an educator module offering strategies for schools.
Bobby Betros, CEO of SwabTek, whose company provides drug-testing kits used by schools, says many districts focus on education first. “We sell to thousands of schools, and almost all of them explore a non-punitive educational approach first,” Betros says.
For Donado, prevention begins at home. “The most important part,” he says, “is being able to keep an open line of communication with your child.”
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