Will the schoolchildren’s addiction to e-cigarettes be the end of the younger generation?

Schoolchildren get their regular supply of drugs from the underground drug market which is highly organised with the advent of the mobile phones – Pic by Shehan Gunasekara 

By Athula Ranasinghe 

It is crystal clear that some members of the student community appear to have graduated from ice (methamphetamine) and other forms of drugs to electronic cigarettes, commonly called e-cigarettes. The detection of a 17-year-old boy in a leading school during a drug raid by the police and the arrest of 47 people hoovering in and around schools portend the severity of the drug menace among the student community of Sri Lanka. 

DIG Ajith Rohana has said recently that schoolchildren numbering over 100,000 are drug addicts. At a program conducted at Saranath Vidyalaya, Kuliyapitiya, an expert has said that ice drug is spreading among girls through salons.

This incisive article is to make an attempt to highlight how the proliferation of e-cigarettes has successfully invaded the schools, especially international schools, ruining the precious lives of our senior students.

Open economy and proliferation of international schools

With the opening of the open economy in 1976, a plethora of international schools have rooted in Sri Lanka and these international schools have rendered an incalculable and appreciable service to the development of the country and also ameliorated deep concerns of the parents who were unable to admit their children to so called popular schools.

E-cigarettes, heroin, ice, cannabis (marijuana) are found to be the most commonly used drugs among the schoolchildren. It must be stated here that the laws, regulations, policies designed to control drugs on drug addicts have not brought any desired impact on the student community. Schoolchildren get their regular supply of drugs from the underground drug market which is highly organised with the advent of the mobile phones. E-cigarette addiction is preventable and can be controlled if every stallholder extends their utmost fullest cooperation to the law enforcement authorities. The sale of e-cigarettes is strictly prohibited in Sri Lanka. But there are no restrictions on use or advertising, promotion and sponsorship of e-cigarettes. 

Vaping

Vaping is the inhaling of a vapour generated by electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) or rather vaping device e-cigarettes ‘vape pens’ heat a liquid and it becomes a vapour, which is inhaled. The liquid (e-liquid or vape juice) can contain nicotine or marijuana distilled or oil. The vapour comes in different flavours, which I have dealt with in this article in detail. It can be refilled or pre-filled with cartages containing the e-liquid. The pre-filled i.e. called ‘puff-bars’ are designed for one-time use only. After taking a number of puffs, the user throws the device away.

Vaping mechanism

E-cigarette refers to a sleek handled battery operated electronic device designed to stipulate tobacco smoking through an inhaler without smoke combustion. It includes cartridges fully loaded with e-liquid or a juice consisting of propylene glycol flavourings, other chemicals and nicotine mainly extracted from tobacco. E-cigarettes usually comprise batteries atomisers and coils that are heated and transformed into vapour or aerosol. It is believed that the substance identified as less harmful than traditional cigarettes offering the sensation of tobacco smoke. Apart from that an e-cigarette is said to be cost-effective, nicotine free, and helps manage smoking cravings. Currently, it is available in disposable and rechargeable types.

Students who vape are more likely to start smoking tobacco cigarettes regularly and may be likely to start developing other addictions in the future. What is the guarantee by the school principals that when students enter the society at large after leaving schools, they would abstain from smoking not only e-cigarettes but also other narcotics and drugs? 

Product developments through R&D

As per the analysis of IMARC Group (which is a leading market research company that provides market and business intelligence across the globe) the top companies in the global market of e-cigarettes introduce cost-effective e-cigarettes with various customisation propensities including temperature controls and nicotine concentration as a suitable alternative to traditional smoking products. 

Additionally, the widespread adoption of rechargeable e-cigarettes variants has encouraged manufacturers to provide manoeuvrable universal serial bus (USB) portals with the item for charging purposes which is favouring the market growth. 

Moreover, the key players are further offering do-it-yourself (DIY) e-liquid to eliminate the need to purchase refilled cartridges, which is acting as another significant growth inducing factor in line with this, the advent of e-cigarette with hit and control features to manage in diverse flavours such as blackberry, apple, dessert, candy, alcohol, strawberry and other artificial flavourings to meet changing consumer preferences. It has also led to the growth of the e-cigarette market. 

Furthermore, the shifting inclination of manufacturers towards online distribution and retail channels such as e-commerce platforms over convention platforms, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic has equally contributed to the growth of the e-cigarette market.

Apart from the extensive reliability endorsements on social media, execution of marketing tactics and continuous product diversifications in distinct sizes and designed through major mergers and acquisitions (M&A) are creating a positive outlook for the market growth. As a result the senior student community of Sri Lanka is also caught up in this racket and become victims.   

Health effects of vaping

The health effects and associated risks of vaping include the following, listed here so that parents, principals and form teachers could easily convey a strong message to the users addicted with e-cigarettes on their ill-effects. It is earnestly hoped that especially school principals and teachers could educate the health hazards arising out of this menace to the senior students at large.

• Addiction: E-cigarettes contain nicotine, a drug which is highly addictive. You do not have to vape every day to get addicted. 

• Anxiety and depression: Nicotine makes anxiety and depression worse. It also affects memory, concentration, self-control and attention especially in developing brains. The schoolchildren have developing brains at their tender age and if their memory and concentration have a devastation effect, definitely their future will be doomed for which school principals and educational authorities should take the blame.

• Becoming addicted smokers: Students who vape are more likely to start smoking tobacco cigarettes regularly and may be likely to start developing other addictions in the future. What is the guarantee by the school principals that when students enter the society at large after leaving schools, they would abstain from smoking not only e-cigarettes but also other narcotics and drugs?

• Impotence: Studies have revealed that there is close nexus between the vaping and impotence and if the senior students develop sexual dysfunctions even before leaving the school careers by vaping e-cigarettes, their family life will be invariably miserable and doomed. School principals have an inalienable duty to discharge solid citizens after their school career to the society at large and not druggists. 

• Sleeping problems: Parents will have to be vigilant right round the clock and ensure whether their children display any abnormal behavioural patterns and especially they spend sleepless nights, which is a clear manifestation of some mental disorders. 

• Exposure to cancer causing chemicals: There is every likelihood that the vapours inhaled through e-cigarettes contain injurious chemicals/substance that could cause cancer. Studies in this sphere are being done by the scientists. 

• Chronic bronchitis: Students exposed to heavy e-cigarettes are prone to lung damages that can be life-threatening. 

• Inability to quantify the e-cigarettes consumed: Two medical practitioners in UK and Australia when consulted said in the case of traditional cigarettes, it can be quantified in terms of the packets consumed. But medication is extremely difficult when it comes to e-cigarettes, as the patients are unaware of the quantity taken. 

It would be grossly unfair to paint all the international schools with the same broad brush. Comparatively, international schools under local entrepreneurs have done exceptionally well in maintaining high educational standards and discipline over the years

Top e-cigarette brands and companies in the world

The readers should realise the growth of the e-cigarette market, its main players, extent of the research and extension wings, products range, aggressive marketing and distribution network, financial stability and future projections and expansion of these multi-national players. It would be correct to say that the e-cigarette industry is a well-developed industry unlike our local tobacco industry. It has very successfully penetrated into the Sri Lankan market over the last few years in an insidious manner with the patronage of the student community and the frustrated youth. It is inevitable that it would penetrate into the rural government schools. Presently it is confined only to a couple of leading international schools in and around Colombo.

The global e-cigarette market size reached $ 21.8 billion in 2022. Its market value is expected to reach $ 31.9 billion by 2028 during its forecast period of 2023-2028 thanks to the patronage of the customers all over the world.

In view of the high incidences of e-cigarettes and other associated ills, it is high time that the Government should take aggressive steps to protect the student community of the public and international schools. Although a series of raids have been carried out in public schools, the law enforcement authorities have so far failed to carry out a single raid on international schools giving impression to the public that the laws of the country are not applicable to the international schools. This is totally a myth that has to be discarded. Students in international schools whether they are foreigners or not, will have to abide by the laws of the country and the country expects them to discipline themselves without resorting to narcotics. 

The only exception here is that students in government schools are not yet familiar with the complex role in ordering e-cigarettes and they do not have adequate wherewithal to spend money on e-cigarettes. On the other hand, students in international schools are mostly foreign students or few local students of rich families of Sri Lankans. I am told that nouveau riche families of Sri Lanka have made it a point to send their children to international schools incurring heavy expenditure and they are increasing to become victims in this deadly narcotic trade. Average cost of the vapour in the open market range from Rs. 3,500 to Rs. 45,000 which students of the public schools can ill-afford. 

Lackadaisical attitude

Surely, the incidence of e-cigarettes has taken a turn for the worse mainly due to the lackadaisical attitudes of the international schools and its academic staff who are mostly foreigners. There is a heavy tendency on the part of the teachers to treat senior students as adults in keeping with the culture of the European countries. Inhaling or vaporing e-cigarettes is not a big deal for them and they keep a blind eye on the smokers in the classrooms. 

Majority of the parents have made it a point not to divulge that their children are addicted to e-cigarettes and their recourse to counselling and rehabilitation due to social stigma with the rest of the parents. Parents have not yet realised the inherent danger by not discussing this issue with the rest of the parents, posing a threat to the entire school community. 

The reduction of subjects from four to three for Advanced Level students has also become a manna from the heaven for the senior students, as they have ample free time to resort to nefarious activities in the absence of the teachers. It would be preposterous to record here that the used condoms are reported to have been found in the washrooms from which the extent of the damages caused to the developing brains could be just imagined. 

Another notable complaint from there seems to be a considerable reticence and reluctance on the part of the principals of the international schools to respond to the emails and letters addressed by the parents giving the impression that they lightly consider the vaporing of e-cigarettes in the classrooms. 

Delivery boys

According to the parents, the worst culprits are the PickMe and Uber delivery boys who have the audacity to deliver e-cigarette and narcotics under the pretext of delivering meals to the students at the international schools. Hapless parents have made it a point not to give pocket money to their children as a desperate measure, as the scourge of narcotics has raised is ugly head to unconscionable levels in some of the international schools.

The international schools should bear in mind that this sector has progressed unprecedentedly during the last five decades for the simple reason that it a has provided a quality education to the students, which has resulted in producing solid citizens and role models with sterling qualities. A quality education results in forward thinking that generates good leadership, practical skills and these were areas that the curriculum of the international schools placed more emphasis on, with the advent of the international schools.

It must not be forgotten that the international schools made a giant stride to the education sector producing intellectuals who are holding good positions in the corporate sector. The international schools allowed students to mingle with the various racial, ethnic and religious groups as well as the members of the opposite sex. This was perceived to make them tolerant individuals with better socialising skills who were able to break cultural barriers and fit them well within a pluralistic society. Basically, it was the secret of the success of the international schools. Thus, principals of the international schools invariably have a herculean task to run their schools as e-cigarette-free and narcotic-free centres.

Parents should be extra vigilant, if they observe the following symptoms in the children: Coughing, shortness of breath, chest pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, tiredness, fever, loss of weight, and consult a physician immediately. 

It would be grossly unfair to paint all the international schools with the same broad brush. Comparatively, international schools under local entrepreneurs have done exceptionally well in maintaining high educational standards and discipline over the years. 

Intervention needed by the Government

Although successive governments have expressed their desire to regulate international schools (Bandula Gunawardana in 2013, Akila Viraj Kariyawasam in 2016 and the cabinet of ministers on the proposal of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe in 2018) there have been hardly any progress in this regard. As a result, the deterioration of the standards and the overall discipline have fallen into bottomless abyss. The absence of a body to look into the matters pertaining to international schools, especially the proliferation of e-cigarettes and other narcotics should receive the highest attention of the Government in the interest of the student community.  The time has come for the Government to reconsider the justification of registering international schools under the Companies Act. A rigid control could be exercised, if the administration could be brought under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Education. I am unable to comprehend as to why this policy decision is not taken by the Government.

In the final analysis, I must say that the struggle launched by the Government with assistance of the Minister of Justice Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe, Minister of Education Susil Prema Jayantha and the silent yet powerful role of the Chairman of the National Authority of Tobacco and Alcohol (NATA) Authority Dr. Samadi Rajapaksa, is certainly commendable and we appreciate their endeavour to make this country a narcotic-free country by the turn of 2023.