International Dateline - November 2018 Edition

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INTERNATIONAL DATELINE Washington International School -“Journalism Governs Forever” - November 2018

Juul ‘Epidemic’ Reaches WIS

By Celeste Bloom, 2020

Over one million high schoolers do it nationwide. Over 300 thousand middle schoolers use it as well. It’s still considered illegal for minors. Over 20 percent of the WIS Upper School students admitted to using e-cigarettes, especially Juuls, off-campus, according to a health survey conducted earlier this year. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) calls e-cigarette usage a “national epidemic” among youth. On the very first day of school, the Upper School administration decided to announce their modified vaping policy, highlighting Juuling. According to both students and the administration, Juuling on-campus last year was not uncommon. Juuling is a form of vaping from a type of nicotine filled e-cigarette (a Juul). The Juul appears to be one of the most popular forms of e-cigarette on and off-campus among high school students. “Every single friend of mine owns a Juul and uses it off-campus, all my male friends have Juuled on-campus,” said student Z*, a Junior at WIS. The February Independent School Health Check survey states that e-cigarette usage off-campus was over 20 percent and three percent on-campus. Both WIS Dean of Students Beta Eaton and high schoolers questioned the credibility of the Health Check statistics, as students could easily lie without repercussions. The timing of the survey also seemed to decrease its accuracy. “The survey was in February and people started Juuling more on-campus in the late spring when the Juul blew up” Junior student X added. According to the Bloomberg Opinion, the Juul had an increase in popularity among youth nationwide. Several aspects of the Juul including, its portability, flavourful pods, sleek appearance

and the fact that it is easily concealed contributed to its rise in popularity. Student interviewees at WIS who have admitted to Juuling and agree with these aspects also say they have felt peer pressured into it. In addition, Senior student Y claims that many teenagers find it a softer drug, “some people will Juul and won’t take any other drugs, I mean nicotine, it’s bad for you, but not horrendously bad, it’s a small drug” student Y said.

wonder whether the new vaping policy was not only implemented due to national increase, as stated during the first assembly, but to curb on-campus Juuling at WIS as well. Some, interviewed by Dateline, alluded to on-campus incidents that could have contributed to the new policy. “I’m pretty sure the administration kind of started to figure out at the end of last year that people obviously Juuled on-campus and I feel like it has to do with certain incidents and people getting caught,” Sophomore student D said. Student D’s suspicions have

Photo Taken By Kylie Rodriguez (Photo does not depict a WIS student)

When students and two faculty members were asked to estimate the percentage of high schoolers who Juuled on-campus, the numbers ranged from five to 25 percent on-campus and 30 to 70 percent regularly off-campus. Most predictions were higher than the amount in the Health Check. However, talk of Juuling could be more prevalent than the action itself. Some of the predictions were based on word around campus without substantial evidence. Due to the overall awareness of on-campus Juuling, many students

been confirmed. However, only one incident where students were caught Juuling was highlighted by Eaton who said, “last year there was an incident where a teacher walked into a bathroom and a Juul fell out of the student’s hand in front of the teacher.” The incident was mentioned several times by student interviewees. One of the students involved in this incident recounts it saying, “I was in the bathroom during one of the 10 minute breaks borrowing a Juul from a friend and we took turns hitting it. The teacher couldn’t come in because my

MESSAGE from the EDITORS

Dear reader,

We thank you for reading the newspaper that the editors and writers for Dateline have been working tirelessly on this semester. Our readers, our community, and their passion for writing fuel our creative process with their ideas and support. With articles, pictures, and interactive experiences, we make an effort to capture the essence of our unified, diverse, innovative and evolving community. Thank you! If you would like to join our staff, come to B4 in the Mansion basement on Mondays at 12:05! Check out our website (www.wisdateline.org)! Managing Editors: Holden Davitian and Marta Maliszewska Publications Editor: Celeste Bloom and Torin O’Brien Marketing Manager: Charlie Lane Arts: Sneha Parthasarathy Global News: Anna Martinelli-Parker WIS News: Ye’Amlak Zegeye Features: Ainhoa Petri-Hidalgo Opinions: Julia Brownell Sports: Nico Vallada and Saul Pink Middle School News Advisor: Celeste Bloom Social Media: Sofia Sanchez Advisor: Ms. Wilding With Special Thanks to Pasha Wilson and Nicolas Greamo

friend leaned [on the door] while we tried to wave away the smoke and hide the Juul, but in doing so the Juul was accidentally knocked out of our hands and fell to the floor. I tried to pick it up but the teacher came in and saw it” former WIS student, Sophomore H said. The students were then taken to Eaton’s office. Mr. Boehm, the teacher who walked in on the students in the boys bathroom in the Hall of Peace, describes the incident saying “I had to go to the bathroom and the door wasn’t opening, I was confused, I honestly just thought the door was jammed, I’m not that big of a guy but I pushed into the door and I nearly knocked over the young man on the other side causing the Juul to fall out of his hand.” Boehm said that the demeanor of the students and the location made him believe this was not the first time a student had Juuled on-campus. Sophomore H, confirmed that this wasn’t the first time he had Juuled on-campus. According to other students, there were definitely more instances last year where students Juuled on-campus and were not caught. Bathrooms, locker rooms and outside on the fringe of the campus were mentioned as common places to Juul undetected. “In class, while the teacher was in the room, one of my classmates went to the other and said ‘Oh hey, I’m going to the bathroom’ really suggestively, then the other responded ‘Oh I got you’ before reaching into their bag, slipping out a Juul and handed it to the other” student A said. Student Z admitted to being one of the two students involved. CONTINUED ON PAGE 3 *This article contains several anonymous sources. A summary of our anonysmous source policy is available on page 3 with the continuation of the artice. The policy is also available on our website: wisdateline.org.

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