HAMPTON, Va. — School leaders in Hampton are reminding parents about the potential serious health risks of vaping.
It comes after Bethel High School administrators said four students needed hospital treatment because they used a drug-infused pen on school grounds Tuesday.
Bethel High School's executive principal Dr. Tanya Howard announced some of those students had adverse reactions which required medical attention.
Although, health experts say this type of medical treatment is growing not only in Hampton, but statewide.
The hospitalization of the four students is shedding new light on the broader issue — the use of these pens.
The Virginia Poison Center tracks data for the eastern and central parts of the state in cases where people call in an emergency.
Officials have not yet shared exactly which drug or drugs were in that vape pen at Bethel High — but the poison center's data shows so far this year, nearly all serious vape cases involved young people.
Dr. John Downs, director of the Virginia Poison Center says, “For 2024, there’s 24 human exposure cases for marijuana related vaping devices and 19 of those were under 18.”
The Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association (VHHA) also tracks the number of people taking a trip to the hospital because of a vape or e-cigarette.
Their data shows vape related hospitalizations surged 109% the past three years.
Julian Walker, the Vice President of Communications for the VHHA, says “Those numbers more than doubled. They went from about 23,600 in 2020 to nearly 50,000 in 2023.”
Bethel High School leaders haven't announced what disciplinary action those four students will face, and on Wednesday, Hampton city schools declined further comment.
But Bethel leaders shared that they are also encouraging parents and guardians to remind their children about the risks of drug use and bringing prohibited items to school.