Dear HHS students, parents and guardians:
As you may be aware, the use of Vape Pens, JUULS, “Dab” Pens and other smoking devices are on the rise among teenagers. According to the Surgeon General, “current e-cigarette use increased 78% among high school students during the past year, including 1 in 5 high school students and 1 in 20 middle school students, currently use e-cigarettes” (Surgeon General’s Advisory on E-cigarette Use Among Youth). Tobacco companies are advertising these devices to be “safe” alternatives to smoking and many of our teens are viewing them that way. Heath City Schools is greatly concerned about the health and well-being of our students and there are many reasons we wish to deter students from using these devices. The large amount of nicotine and other drugs/substances that can exist in these devices as well as the danger that comes from the fact that they are in large part unregulated make these devices harmful and potentially very dangerous to our teens. Please see the attached information to learn more about the dangers of these devices. Due to this information, we are making the following changes to our policies in an effort to deter the use of these devices in school.
1. The first time a student is caught using or possessing any nicotine device the student will receive three days of in-school suspension with a required vaping education module completion that includes a parent sign-off.
2. The second time a student is caught using or possessing any nicotine device, the students will receive three days of in-school suspension as well as two days of out of school suspension and will be required to repeat the education modules.
3. The third time a student is caught using or possessing any nicotine device, the students will receive ten days of suspension and be recommended for expulsion.
*Please note that the use of “dab” pens or other devices that use THC oil or any other illegal drug will result in ten days of out of school suspension and a recommendation for expulsion.
Please contact Mrs. Fields or the Heath High School main office if you have additional questions about these events.
Sincerely,
Kat Fields
Heath High School Principal
kfields@heath.k12.oh.us
740-238-7150