Haley Beckham
Through my experience in law enforcement and with the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice across 47 school systems, I’ve witnessed firsthand—alongside educators and administrators—an alarming trend: more children, some as young as elementary school age, engaging in high-risk behaviors like substance abuse.
While we can begin intervention strategies at an earlier age, we must also tackle the widespread availability of illegal disposable vapes. The Annual National Youth Tobacco Survey reports that nearly 75% of all e-cigarettes used by American youth come from just three unauthorized brands: Elf Bar, Esco Bar, and Mr. Fog. These candy-flavored, brightly packaged devices stand in stark contrast to the tobacco and menthol-flavored products that have received authorization from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This disparity exemplifies how these perverse products are blatantly targeting our children while simultaneously exposing the FDA’s failure to provide the necessary enforcement to keep these harmful products away from young people.
According to the National Youth Tobacco Surveys, illegal vape use among teenagers has surged by 125% over the years. Despite this alarming trend, recent data does show a decline in the number of high school students who have vaped in the past month. Nevertheless, the situation is critical since these products remain widely available as 1.63 million middle and high school students still reported using an illegal candy or fruit-flavored vape.
Illegal disposable vapes are not only appealing in flavor but also inexpensive and easy to conceal—making them both affordable and simple for kids to smuggle into school. Once there, students can discreetly use or share them with peers, potentially serving as a gateway to more dangerous substances.
Georgia has taken steps to address this issue and raise awareness. Following last session’s proposed vapor directory bill, a study committee convened in September. The committee heard compelling testimony from those of us on the front lines, building a strong case for enhanced state enforcement against illegal, kid-friendly flavored vapor products.
In January, my agency, the Georgia Public Safety Training Center, will host a course to provide training, education, and enforcement strategies for community substance abuse issues. This course, “High in Plain Sight: Current Alcohol, Drug, and Concealment Trends and Identifiers,” will equip law enforcement and educators with tools to effectively combat the influx of illegal disposable vapes and drug use.
We will continue to do what is necessary for the health and safety of our children, but we will also need leadership that prioritizes holding federal agencies accountable and works together with state law enforcement to eliminate these dangerous products from our communities.
Haley Beckham is the manager of the School Safety Unit at the Georgia Public Training Safety Center (GPSTC). She previously served as the Chief Investigator with the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice.
