IN EDITORIALS 2
IN FEATURES 5
IN SPREAD 6-7
FRESHMAN IN APs
COLD WATER CHALLENGE
BODY IMAGE
ONLINE
mvviewer.org
SCIENCE OLYMPIAD TAKES SECOND
Mounds View
VIEWER
www.mvviewer.org
Friday, May 30, 2014
Volume 61, Issue 13
Cannabis for a cure by Sasha Safonov managing editor, ‘13-’14
E-Cigarettes
photo illustration by Eva Hoffman
Users embrace trend despite many unknowns by Ryan Yoch staff reporter The questions are simple. Questions like “How harmful are e-cigarettes?” and “Who has the right to use them?” are currently at the forefront of debates all around the world. Yet as “e-cigs” continue to entice teens and baffle researchers, answers to these questions are proving as hard to find as an e-cig’s vapors. There’s no question that e-cigs are popular. Out of 75 seniors surveyed, one in four admitted to having used an e-cigarette at least once. E-cigs are cheaper than regular cigarettes, and, because they don’t contain tobacco, they seem to sidestep many of the health risks associated with frequent smoking. “I bought my first e-cig in 10th grade for around $30,” said a Mounds View junior who regularly smokes e-cigarettes. “It costs about $10 every two weeks to maintain, but it’s a lot cheaper than regular smoking.” “People say that there aren’t really any side effects, but obviously nicotine isn’t good for you,” said another junior. “But it is definitely a healthier alternative, which is a big part of why I started.” Forced to confront the issue, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a blanket statement in
April warning about the dangers of e-cigarettes and reminding consumers about the lack of existing research. Though both researchers and e-cig providers agree that e-cigarettes contain nicotine, an addictive, stimulating chemical also found in regular cigarettes, there is still debate on whether or not e-cigs contain carcinogens, substances known to cause cancer. The FDA says yes, but no conclusive evidence has been found to support its claim. With no direction from the federal government, local governments have attempted to take e-cigarette legislation into their own hands. Minnesota’s House and Senate recently passed a bill that would tighten e-cigarette restrictions for minors and prohibit their use in public schools. “What the state is trying to do is tighten the legislation surrounding e-cigs,” said Katie Engman, Program Director at Association for Nonsmokers—MN. “Right now, the city ordinance can be stronger than the state. For example, it is illegal [for minors] to have e-cigs in Shoreview, but it could be seen as legal in Columbia Heights.” Mounds View’s current e-cigarette policy is not clearly defined, but changes are likely for next year. “Although e-cigarettes are not specifically mentioned [in the school
board regulations], it is reasonable to assume from the regulation that e-cigarettes would fall under the chemical use policy and not be permitted on school grounds,” said Principal Jeff Ridlehoover. E-cigs’ potential inclusion in the chemical use policy has not deterred students from “vaping” indoors. Because e-cig vapors are odorless and transparent, smoking during class has become a common practice among daily e-cig users. The device itself is no bigger than a pen, so students can keep it tucked in their sleeve or clasped between two fists with very little chance of being caught. According to administrators and students interviewed, no one has been caught. For many e-cig users, availability and appeal breeds addiction. The ease and frequency with which students can use e-cigs, combined with the addictive nature of nicotine, often leaves students wanting more. “You can tell when your body wants it. I honestly think it is more habit-forming than smoking regular cigarettes,” said a junior. “You can do it more often and you don’t really realize how much you’re doing it.” “At this point, I definitely have a little bit of an addiction,” said another junior. “You can flavor it, but at the end of the day it’s still an addiction.”
As of July 1, 2014, Minnesota will join 21 other states that allow the prescription of medicinal marijuana. The final bill passed both houses on May 16 with an 86-39 bipartisan vote in the House of Representatives and a 48-18 bipartisan vote in the Senate. The compromise bill favors the more restrictive House version, which limits cannabis use to patients with certain conditions who also enroll in observational research studies. Eight conditions currently qualify a patient for medicinal marijuana: cancer, glaucoma, HIV/ AIDS, Tourette’s syndrome, ALS, seizures caused by epilepsy, muscle spasms brought on by multiple sclerosis, and Crohn’s disease. An estimated 5,000 patients of all ages will become eligible in July. A major point of contention of the bill is the forms of medicinal marijuana available. Currently, only pill and oil forms are allowed, with smoked marijuana strictly prohibited. Critics of this limitation have cited smoking marijuana as a simpler, more efficient process that provides immediate relief. “I think that the natural substance needs to be legalized, too. When the pharmaceutical companies get the reign to create a pill, it can make things more complicated and dangerous,” said Jack Wang, 12. On the other hand, synthetic marijuana is easier for enforcement agencies to control, and avoids the dangerous effects of smoke inhalation. Still, both natural and synthetic cannabis have raised questions surrounding their prescription. “I don’t think that physicians should be given free reign to prescribe it. Adderall is just one medication that is already overprescribed—do we need more?” said Sam Worthington, 12. As more and more states embrace medicinal marijuana, an important question remains: to what extent? Regulation will likely depend on the following months. “It might be a way for [teenagers] to try it when they might not have,” said Local Resource Officer William Rzeszutek. “I don’t think anybody will know until it happens.”