FRANKLIN — A 7-year-old boy was found using a vaping device Oct. 8 at Country Dale Elementary, according to Franklin Police.
An investigation revealed the boy took the vaping device with CBD oil from his mother’s purse, according to police.
The boy was taken to the hospital for evaluation and is fine, Franklin Police said.
The boy’s mother will not be charged, police said, and a social worker from Child Protective Services was called.
This is the first case Franklin Police have had with a child using a vaping device.
Here is the statement from Franklin Public Schools:
Hello Franklin Public Schools Parents and Guardians,
I, along with all Franklin Public Schools staff, consider student safety to be our utmost responsibility. Recently, there was an incident related to vaping involving a younger student. I am unable to comment on the specifics of the incident being reported in the news. When any incident happens in Franklin Public Schools, we work to protect the privacy of all individuals involved. The safety and integrity of students and families is paramount.
As a school community, we have concern about the national vaping epidemic, especially when we see the impact on our Franklin students and families. We are continuously working to stay on top of the latest findings and expert recommendations. I would like to share with you some of the ways we are supporting the health needs of our community:
- Franklin Public Schools collaborates with the Franklin Health Department to bring students factual information about vaping across multiple school buildings and age groups.
- Our staff work with students and families to provide current and developmentally appropriate education and support related to vaping.
- Our health courses are consistently reviewed and revised as needed to ensure that the most up-to-date information related to vape use is reflected in the curriculum.
- Franklin Public Schools works in partnership with Volition Franklin, a community substance use prevention coalition made up of adult and youth members. The purpose of this organization is to educate students and families at community and school events about the effects of alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use. Last December, this group was instrumental in helping to include e-cigarettes in Franklin’s tobacco ordinance.
- Our Student Wellness Committee, comprised of a variety of staff members, parents, and community partners and clinicians, has a primary focus on support for our children with consideration to trends and findings related to vaping.
Specifically, here are the 3 key things we want parents and families to know:
- Children don’t realize the immediate and long term dangers that can come from vaping.
- Identifying vaping devices is difficult since they look like everyday items (USB drives, pens, candy, etc).
- Vaping juice within the device can have a variety of chemicals in it. A misconceived notion by young people is that harm can only come from a vape that contains THC. All chemicals, when mixed together in a vaping device will cause harm.
As our partner, we encourage you to learn more about the dangers of vaping. Pay attention to what your children are doing and talk with them about vaping. If you need more knowledge around vaping, these are some reliable resources:
- American Lung Association - What Parents Should Know
- CDC - Key facts about vaping, how to talk to your children, how-to-quit resources
The safety of our students is our top priority. We will continue to do everything we can to help counteract the harm associated with vaping. Our school nurses are always available to meet with you or answer questions.
Sincerely,
Dr. Judy Mueller
District Administrator
Franklin Public Schools
