By Meagan Barrett ‘15

Over the years, the current teen generation has gone through a dozen fads; Ugg boots, YOLO, silly bands – the list could go on. Within the last year, a trend has arisen in the form of e-cigs and e-hookahs, or hookah pens. E-cigs, or electronic cigarettes, are an up and coming replacement for cigarettes. The pens have become a new, more transportable option, for a hookah.

A major appeal of e-cigs is that they give off water vapor rather than smoke. As an added bonus, the plug-in tanks can come in an array of flavors, including cherry, ice cream, and cap’n crunch. In addition, there is an option as to whether the e-cig contains nicotine or not. Hookah pens, unlike a traditional hookah, do not contain tobacco, nicotine, or resin and instead only a flavored liquid.

In Maryland, it is illegal for a minor to be in possession of an e-cig if it contains nicotine. However, “as a senior, you’ll always have friends who are 18,” said an anonymous male senior. “Most of them are willing to buy it for you.” There are many places which sell the products, including 7-11, gas stations such as Exxon Mobile, and the recently opened Vapadelic tobacco shop, located on Rt. 108 in Sandy Spring. An anonymous male junior claims some places will even let teens buy tobacco e-cigs without proof of age.

The habit of smoking e-cigs has become popular among Sherwood students. “I use it every day,” said an anonymous male senior. “It is fun, and it gives you a buzz to stay calm.”

Across the country, many teachers have found e-cigs popping up in their classrooms. Sherwood is no exception. “I showed it to one of my teachers once and she thought it was cool,” said another senior, who asked to be anonymous. However, not all teachers have reacted in the same way.

Pat Rooney, the security team leader, has had a few teachers complain about the increasing prevalence of e-cigs and hookah pens in school. However, the security team is currently working on reaching a clear-cut punishment, especially since it’s not always obvious whether the contents are legal or not. “You can’t always tell what’s in it,” said Rooney. He predicts the arrival of new MCPS regulations by sometime this summer prohibiting the use of these products in school.

At the moment, however, security has no specific consequence for dealing with students who choose to use their e-cigs and hookah pens on school grounds. Until official rules are made, they are treating the devices very similar to cell phones. They are to be put away while in school, and during class. If a student repeatedly is found to be using an e-cig or hookah pen, it will be confiscated. Whether or not the devices have tobacco in them, the school views e-cigs and hookah pens as a distraction. “It’s just not the appropriate place to do it. It’s kind of a disruption,” said Rooney.

So security has no real consequence for it, and there are no known harmful drugs in it. So what’s the catch?

“It’s hard to tell what harm it may cause down the road,” said Rooney. Since the products are new, the long-term effects of these devices are still unclear.