By Summer Tadlock | February 7, 2020 at 12:12 AM CST – Updated February 7 at 9:16 AM
JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) – Vaping has become extremely popular in recent years… and so has the controversy surrounding the dangers of using vaping devices.
“There is a substance abuse problem in all of this, these devices are vehicles for drugs.”
Jill Gordon organized this Vaping Summt to bring light to a problem she say’s has taken over our youth.
“As a mom of a middle schooler I had a child who bought a vape at school. I didn’t realize the severity of how many kids that use these products and how addicted they are to schools at this point.”
A state agency also pitching in…
“The Mississippi State Department of Health felt it was so important to fund this endeavor. We are seeing this vaping epidemic and long related illness. Now we are worried our youth is vaping.”
I caught up with this group of middle school students who give insight about what’s going on.
“Kids now all they do is vape, smoke, do whatever they want to do!”
Vape shop owners like Bill Wikstrom also attended.
“I was struggling with how could they host a summit but not have anybody that’s in the industry that has been dealing with this for years.
Hoping to get a chance to set the record straight.
“The vaping industry does not support the youth using this product.. this is for adults trying to get off combustible tobacco… not for teens.”
For Wikstrom… he has a more personal reason for getting into the industry.
“One of every two smokers die if they continue to smoke.. so I wanted to get away from smoking so I can be around for my grandkids.”
The goal of both sides is working on a solution to prevent youth vaping.
“At the end of the summit I got with the host and we both agreed to sit down in the future and discuss this more in depth.
Copyright 2020 WLBT. All rights reserved.