Henderson County should do everything possible to halt the spread of e-cigarette use that’s endangering young people, The place to start is with parents and the community educating ourselves and kids about the dangers of products that were until recently seen as a “safer” alternative to smoking.

The Henderson County Board of Health is looking to get stricter policies in place to address what Board member Bill Lapsley described as an “urgent problem.”

“I’m really freaking out that if we don’t do something about this (quickly), we will be dealing with the next generation of substance abuse,” said Lapsley, who also serves on the Henderson County Board of Commissioners. Commissioner Rebecca McCall also attended and expressed her concerns.

State health officials say the best ways to combat the rising use of e-cigarettes, especially among younger populations, are 100% smoke-free policies, campaigns, price increases and cessation access.

Nearby counties including Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell and Watauga counties have 100 percent tobacco-free policies for government vehicles, government grounds, government-owned parks and recreation areas. Henderson County’s current policy doesn’t meet that standard because it allows for the county manager to make exceptions. Lapsley said he believes commissioners would vote to strengthen the policy.

That sounds like a good idea, but we should not kid ourselves to think it will be enough, as long as young people see vaping as a cool thing to do.

Reported cases of lung damage, illness and death have skyrocketed in recent months to more than 1,080 nationwide. That includes 42 cases and one death In North Carolina, according to Karen Caldwell, Regional Tobacco Control manager with the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services’ Tobacco Prevention and Control Branch. …

Two years ago, 37.4% of local ninth-graders reported having used e-cigarettes, and local high schoolers now use e-cigarettes more than all other tobacco products combined, Hope Rx Program Director Michelle Geiser reported. This is despite the fact Henderson County Public Schools already has a 100 percent ban on tobacco use, including vaping, for school properties and functions.

Most middle school students try vaping in an attempt to fit in, test the waters and try to see what they can get away with, Flat Rock Middle School Principal Melanie Adams said. Those are the same reasons earlier generations tried and got hooked on smoking. With high levels of nicotine, E-cigarettes can be just as addictive.

Scary statistics, alarmist reactions and prohibitions won’t be enough to stop young people from experimenting with vaping. Parents need to talk to their kids, and we all need to educate ourselves on the risks.

It took decades for our nation to fully address the dangers of smoking. For our kids’ sake, we can’t afford to make the same mistakes with vaping.

— The Henderson Times-News