OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – An Oklahoma senator has filed a bill that would ban vaping in schools across the Sooner State.
Officials say that there is a state-wide ban on tobacco products for public and private school buildings and vehicle. While many schools already have a ban on vaping products, a bill filed by Sen. J.J. Dossett would add vaping products to the state-wide ban.
“If you look at the studies coming out from the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) and the U.S. Surgeon General’s office, there is clear evidence that vaping is harmful to adolescents. It gets kids addicted to nicotine which can harm their still-developing brains. It’s a fact that nicotine can affect decision making and impulse control. It can change the way synapses are formed, and it impacts attention and learning,” said Dossett, D-Owasso. “My bill will close the vaping loophole so these products cannot be used in our schools.”
Dossett says studies are being conducted to determine the impact of other chemicals in vaping products on the user and those exposed to second vapors.
“When we had our interim study on vaping, I heard from educators, administrators and parents who were very concerned about how pervasive it’s become on school property,” Dossett said. “Kids think it’s safe for them to use, but that is simply not true. With all these serious health concerns, it just makes sense to extend the school tobacco ban to vaping.”
