THE USE OF E-CIGARETTES by high school and even middle school students has grown to the level of a public health crisis, and a suburban school district like ours in New York’s Capital Region is no different.

The former Food and Drug Administration commissioner, Scott Gottlieb, says ubiquitous e-cigarette use by youth “has reached epidemic proportions.” According to the Centers for Disease Control, the rate of e-cigarette consumption among high school students has escalated from 1.5 percent in 2011 to 27.5 percent in 2019 with many of them vaping on a daily basis.

Like most school districts, the Niskayuna Central School District faces dwindling resources, pushing us to forge partnerships with external groups to provide services that traditionally were supported by our operating budget. We are unable to mount new initiatives within the existing budget without impacting other programs, so we must rely on collaboration with other organizations to take on an issue as pressing as this.

With e-cigarette use troubling educators and the wider community, the school district is partnering with the Niskayuna Community Action Program, known locally as N-CAP, to take action.

Array of Support

N-CAP is an all-volunteer community coalition whose mission is to improve the quality of life for all those living, working or learning in the town or school district of Niskayuna, with an emphasis on preventing substance misuse by youth. N-CAP was founded in the late 1970s in the aftermath of several suicides of young people in the community.

The organization’s work is highly visible, and N-CAP has established a close connection with our teachers. The district provides office space for N-CAP to demonstrate the organization’s important role in the school community. We are in the eighth year of a federal Drug Free Communities grant, which positions N-CAP well to assist us in this fight.

N-CAP administers a bi-annual prevention needs assessment survey, which provides the district with vital information. Students in grades 6, 8, 10 and 12 are surveyed anonymously regarding substance abuse, school culture and climate, mental health and feelings of community connectedness. The data about e-cigarette use from our 2020 survey revealed that while no students in grade 6 re-ported e-cigarette use, 31 percent of 12th graders reported use on one or more occasion and 11.7 percent of seniors admitted using e-cigarette products 40 or more times.

N-CAP partners also work with our health teachers to update our curriculum and spend time in health classes to deliver instruction on the use of e-cigarettes and their health dangers. The organization has hosted forums for families and students that inform us about peer pressures and how parents can engage their children in discussions about substance abuse.

N-CAP has funded the purchase of vape detectors for use in our high school and middle school restrooms and has staged contests, publicized through billboards, to increase student awareness. The organization sponsors a school club that promotes healthy lifestyles and responsible choices for student-athletes that sets a positive example and tone for the greater community.

COVID’s Impact

COVID-19’s closure of schools temporarily halted some of our efforts to combat e-cigarette use. Given the national reports on in-creased substance abuse as a result of the closure, I have become increasingly concerned that trends may have taken a turn for the worse.

Our partnership with N-CAP never has been more vital as we work to continue to raise awareness and share factual information with our school community.

COSIMO TANGORRA JR. is superintendent of Niskayuna Central School District in Niskayuna, N.Y. Twitter: @CosimoTangorra