Due to an ordinance passed by the San Antonio city council in Oct. 2025, “Vaping is now banned in San Antonio wherever smoking is banned.” According to Kens5 Local News, the new ban took effect on January 1, 2025.
Vapes were first created back in 2003 by the Chinese pharmacist, Hon Lik, as an alternative to smoking. Vape components include a mouthpiece, a cartridge, a heating element, a microprocessor, and a battery. Vapes can be made of many different substances including nicotine, cannabis, and flavoring supplements. They started being sold in the U.S in 2006 and since then have been a controversial topic.
One of the main reasons why vaping has been a controversial topic is because of the side effects. These side effects come from inhaling the chemicals inside the vapes, which can include cannabis and nicotine. Both marijuana and nicotine can lead to serious health issues.
Using products containing nicotine can severely harm brain development, as per CDC, using nicotine during adolescence can harm the parts of the brain that control attention, learning, mood, and impulse control. Nicotine use can also increase the risk of future addiction to drugs and cigarettes for adolescents.
Secondhand exposure to nicotine products can also be very harmful. Per CDC more than 80% of calls to U.S poison control centers for e-cigarettes are for children less than 5 years old.
Using products containing cannabis can negatively affect a person’s mental health, memory, lungs, and heart. Cannabis use can trigger memory loss or make someone anxious, afraid, or paranoid. It can increase coughing, lung infections and the risk of heart disease or stroke. According to the American Heart Association adults who used marajuana daily had 25% higher odds of having a heart attack and 42% higher odds of stroke than people who didn’t use it at all.
Another reason why vapes are such a controversial topic is because of how much they are bought and used. According to Emerald Insight, “there were 81 million vapers worldwide in 2021.”
Adults are not the only ones vaping. Adolescents and teenagers are vaping as well. According to a national survey done in 2024 by the FDA, 2.25 million (one in twelve) middle and high school students reported current use. These vaping statistics for teenagers and adolescents stay constant in San Antonio. According to San Antonio News, San Antonio is following a similar trend to the rest of the country regarding vaping.
Vaping in high schools is a country wide issue which also happens at Judson High School.
Considering all the horrible side effects and consequences of vaping, why would someone still want to do it? Some people vape to relieve stress, however, according to NSW Health vaping “and the cravings that go with it can be stressful too”. Others vape out of curiosity, or because their friends do, even though the statistics and side effects are out there for the world to see.
One of the other main reasons why teens and adolescents vape or have vaped in the past is because of the marketing and advertising. There is so much marketing for vapes targeted towards young people. According to Truth Initiative, “In 2021, more than 75% of middle and high school students reported exposure to marketing or advertising of any nicotine or tobacco product”.
Due to teens vaping, many schools all over the country have made rules to stop teens from vaping, and Judson High School is no different. Vaping is not allowed at Judson High School and according to assistant principal Ms. Jessica De Alba, administrators have multiple ways of finding out whether someone is vaping or not.
“We have vape alerts, we have students that report it to us, we have cameras that show when students are in the restroom poking their heads out to see if someone is looking at them, etc. Students’ behavior sometimes gives themselves away.” De Alba explained. The punishments for vaping include, “mandatory placement in alternative school… 3 day suspension and then a hearing at the hearing office to determine how long you are in alternative.”
The city of San Antonio aims to stop people of all ages from vaping, not just teens. They plan to do this by putting up “No Vaping” signs in areas where smoking is not allowed. These signs will be put next to signs prohibiting smoking. The sign itself will have an e-cigarette icon enclosed in a standard red circle, with a red bar across it. These signs will be required for businesses to put up next to the “No Smoking” signs. If someone does not obey these laws they could face fines of up to $2,000.
Government officials, schools, and some businesses all want to limit the amount that people vape. This is shown in new laws and rules passed all over the country, including the new law that the city of San Antonio just passed. Scientific facts and studies have given substantial reason for these laws to be passed. This law however, may be the beginning of vapes being banned all over the country.