Pubdate: Fri, 07 Feb 2014
Source: Gazette, The (Colorado Springs, CO)
Copyright: 2014 The Gazette
Contact: http://www.gazette.com/sections/opinion/submitletter/
Website: http://www.gazette.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/165
Author: Carol McGraw

POT PENS ON LIST OF FORBIDDEN ITEMS IN EL PASO COUNTY SCHOOLS

Is that student taking history notes with that pen?

Or is he using it is smoke dope in class?

It's a question that school district officials are becoming more aware
of in light of isolated reports that kids are putting marijuana oil in
vapor pens and using them at school.

They get high by seemingly chewing on the ends of their pens, when
they are in actuality sucking in the unscented smoke. They can use a
scent in the pens to mask their recent marijuana use, too.

Officials at Lakewood High School in Denver have reported that
students have used them in classrooms, and that it is a problem,
according to news reports.

But in El Paso County it's not a trend or apparently not even a rare
occurrence, district administrators say. Nevertheless, campus security
coordinators, teachers and principals are on the alert just in case.

"It's not a problem here," said John Taylor, security coordinator for
Harrison School District 2. He said that the topic has been discussed
among regional school security officials and most have alerted their
staff to keep their eyes peeled.

The vapor pens were developed as an alternative to smoking tobacco
cigarettes, and are usually used with nicotine or various aromatherapy
scents and flavorings for adults wanting to quit smoking. They are
thought by some to be safer healthwise. The devices, also called
trippy sticks or e-cigarettes, are battery powered and use a heating
element to vaporize a liquid solution, including marijuana oil.

"I know about them. Student Services knows about them. Our principals
know about them. We are keeping an eye out for that and all
paraphernalia, " said Ted Bauman, interim superintendent of
Lewis-Palmer School District 38.There have been no cases in his district.

Sales of recreational marijuana began on Jan. 1 for those 21 years of
age and older, and D-38 officials have heightened their vigilance.
Sales are prohibited in most jurisdictions in the region, although
Manitou Springs recently OK'd having two retail outlets and Palmer
Lake is set to vote in April on whether to allow retail sales.

D-38 officials recently sent letters to parents about the strict
drug-free campus policies. "We are concerned about the influence
recreational and medical marijuana can have on students."

In Colorado Springs School District 11, which has more than 28,000
students, security coordinators have confiscated "a few" of the pens
and cigarettes, too. "The schools are aware of this phenomena," said
Devra Ashby, D-11 spokeswoman.

Hightimes.com, which for decades has supported marijuana legalization,
noted in December that its detailed review of the vapor pens, "has
been one of the most viewed and referenced feature on the website."
They judged the pens on affordability, durability, versatility, health
and ease of refill. Another category: high stealth.

At first they were popular with those who take marijuana medicinally,
but are now gaining favor with other adults because of that stealth
factor.

The pens cost from $10 to $400 dollars depending on style and
materials, said Mike Stetler, owner of Marisol Therapeutics in Pueblo
West, which sells marijuana for medical and recreational use.

He explained that marijuana vapor does not have that tell-tale
marijuana smoke smell. The marijuana can be used in the pens either as
buds or oil, he said.

Stetler doubts that the marijuana vapor pens are a classroom trend.
What is at work, he says, is the attitude of those who don't like that
marijuana has been legalized medically and recreationally, so the
attitude is "It is so bad so it must be a trend."

His philosophy is, "If kids shouldn't have it, then parents are doing
something wrong. They let them hang with the wrong crowd or don't know
what their kids are doing."

School districts for years have had formal drug policies in place,
including forbidding alcohol, tobacco cigarettes and drugs on campuses.

Mark Pfoff, a D-38 board member, says the board might update district
policy to specifically reflect the new technology such as vapor pens,
even though it would fall under the general contraband area.

"We don't want the pens on campus," he said.
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D