The simplicity of having a cigarette is going out of style as vaping and using e-cigarettes is becoming more popular among teens.

Cigarette smoking is simple: all that’s needed is a lighter and a cigarette. In vaping, however, it’s more complex.

There are four main parts to a vape: the battery, the atomizer, the “tank,” and the mouth piece. The atomizer is what evaporates whichever E-Liquid the smoker is using and the “tank” is what holds it.
This is where vaping becomes personalized and expensive, with parts reaching to upwards of $200.
Even with expensive parts, liquids alone will cost roughly $800 a year, compared to the roughly $10,000 a year it costs to smoke cigarettes.

In vaping, there are thousands and thousands of different liquids that you can put in a vape, ranging from different fruits to candies such as Skittles or Swedish Fish.

While some liquids are made with nicotine, these candy liquids are made with no nicotine, which has led to some controversy.

“It’s just kind of dumb that [companies] even offer the candy flavored liquids,” said junior Ben McCormick. “Isn’t the whole point of vaping to quit smoking? It seems like these vape companies make these flavors just to attract a younger audience.”

And that is the common concern that many people have with vaping. Isn’t it just a way for companies to get kids hooked on smoking?

According to The Guardian, 4.6 million kids ranging from grades 6-12 use e-cigarettes and vaping products, and that number continues to rise.

Vaping is defined as “the act of inhaling and exhaling the vapor produced by an electronic cigarette or similar device.”

The intended purpose of vaping is to help cigarette smokers transition into using the vape, which proponents claim doesn’t contain the harmful chemicals found in cigarettes.

However, teens are using these devices and have turned them into a recreational activity.

The policy regarding vaping and using e-cigarettes at New Trier is the same as smoking cigarettes, cigars, and using smokeless tobacco.

The punishment for using these products on school grounds will result in a Saturday school on the first violation, according to Scott Williams, Assistant Principal of Student Services.

“It started out as more of a fun thing to do, I would just do it to try and learn different smoke tricks. It definitely became more than that,” said University of Illinois freshman Chris Halliwell. “You know people eat candy or drink soda, I would almost equate vaping to that. All of those things are relatively bad, but we don’t really think about getting pancreatic cancer when we crack open a can of coke.
The vaping industry is making big profits, according to the World Lung Foundation. The vaping industry made $6 billion in 2015, compared to big tobacco which made around $35 billion in 2015 according to the World Lung Foundation.

Vaping is regarded more as a nuisance among teens because of the clouds of vapor that you can produce with a single puff, junior Peter Schmezick pointed out. “I get really annoyed when I’m walking down the street and the guy in front of me is vaping, because I know it’s only a matter of time before I have to walk through a cloud of it (vapor).”

To antagonize people who vape, it has been common to call them “vape gods” or “vape lords” in a sarcastic connotation in passing or social media. Some people even say “vape is life” to provoke vape users.

“It doesn’t really bother me, in fact, I sort of embrace it.” Halliwell said.

“I honestly hope this is just a fad and it dies out quickly,” Schmezick said, “I can see why it would be helpful to people trying to quit [smoking] but it’s just more of a nuisance than anything else.”

Another concern is that teens are using vaping as a way to smoke marijuana. There are two forms that marijuana can be used in a vape, in its normal plant form and as an oil. The oil is in a more pure form leading to a higher concentration in THC, the main stimulant in marijuana.

It’s too early to tell if vaping is dangerous or not, however New Trier’s student body seems to dislike vaping, all except a few vape enthusiasts.

“I don’t know why people care so much about it,” an anonymous vape user said, “It’s not like I’m blowing cigarette smoke in your face. I’m just trying to enjoy my Skittles flavoring, sorry if that bothers you.”