Written by Hart County teacher Doug Ponder
As a teacher, I welcomed the news that the U.S. Department of Justice recently seized millions of dollars’ worth of illegal vapes. After years of finding these dangerous products in my classroom, I’m relieved to finally action from our leaders to tackle this crisis head on. Attorney General Pam Bondi and HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. made it clear that it won’t be business as usual anymore. I’m proud to say Kentucky has leaders inside the Capitol siding with our children, too. Representatives Andy Barr, Brett Guthrie, Hal Rogers, and James Comer have all repeatedly called on the executive branch, under both parties, to address this issue.
As an educator, I can attest to how badly the vaping crisis has escalated. I’ve found these flavored devices in my classroom more times than I care to count and I’ve seen the way they are deliberately targeted towards children with their appealing flavors. I saw nothing like the meaningful enforcement we’ve now seen from the Trump Administration through Operation Vape Trail.
Classrooms should be a safe place for our kids. Teachers shouldn’t be the first line of defense against illegal vapes. The Trump administration has taken note of the issue and is acting to help keep them out of our kids’ hands. That should be applauded.
Doug Ponder
Teacher, Hart County