Vaping, mainly JUULing, has become a big problem in many high schools.

The number of high-school students who used e-cigarettes in the past 30 days has risen roughly 75 percent since last year, according to an article in the Wall Street Journal. 

The non-vapers have to deal with this growing concern at schools. For example, nonsmokers have to deal with this every time they enter a restroom. Students crowd and pass around various e-cigs making the place a cloudy mess. If only these students would know what they’re putting in the air. Sometimes it may even be directly blown in your face.

The short term exposure to glycol coming from e-cigs cause eye and throat irritation, according to the American Nonsmokers Rights Foundation (ANRF). It also can make breathing normally difficult. Vapers have the mentality that since it’s not a traditional cigarette, toxins aren’t in the air. That is far from the truth.

Heavy metals (chromium, nickel, tin and more) and tiny particles that can harm the lungs can be found in secondhand vapor stated the U.S. Surgeon General. It mainly adds PAHs and aluminum to the air which can raise the risk of lung and cardiovascular diseases for others around, maybe even certain types of cancer, according to Scientific American. These ultrafine particles even have a higher concentration than cigarettes according to ANRF.

For athletes who don’t vape, secondhand vape can be a big issue. Not only can it affect your cardio, but the nicotine can restrict your blood flow (WhyQuit.org), which makes lifting somewhat pointless. As we all know, blood is responsible for delivering nutrients to the tissue. When you lift of any kind, you are breaking down the tissue and it will need nutrients to rebuild. If you are inhaling nicotine, that is going to be difficult.

Nicotine keeps the fat you eat throughout the day and leaves it built in your bloodstream therefore clogging it. Internal Nicotine Vascularization is what’s happening here. It’s not just athletes that need to worry; any student really. If you have asthma, your arteries may get restricted which could cause a heart attack. No one wants to be the cause of that. Next time if you decide to vape in a school bathroom, think about what you’re doing to the other students.