NEENAH, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – The City of Neenah is looking to crackdown on vaping and the use of e-cigarettes.
A new city ordinance proposal would ban kids who are younger than 18 from using or possessing a vapor product in the city.
Neenah High Schools principal Brian Wunderlich tells FOX 11 vaping devices are becoming a problem.
“We’re a few days into the school year, and I know for sure we’ve, it’s six in less than six days of school.”.
Confiscating the devices and handing down a one-day suspension is all the school can do.
Right now, it’s only illegal for minors to have or use nicotine and tobacco products. But some say with e-cigarettes and vaping devices, it’s hard to say what’s really in them or even what they are.
“They’ve become very, very easy to just conceal,” Wunderlich said, “They look like USB zip drives.”
Assistant city attorney Adam VandenHeuvel tells FOX 11 Neenah’s proposed ordinance would help clear up that confusion.
“It bans any minor from possessing or using any vapor product, whether it has nicotine in it or not, anywhere in the city. That could be in the school, that can be at a park, on a sidewalk. Anyone under the age of 18 will not be allowed to vape anywhere in the city.”
High school students older than 18 wouldn’t be allowed to vape on school grounds either.
The proposed ordinance also prevents anyone from selling vaping products to minors.
As for vapor shops, FOX 11 spoke to one owner in the Neenah area who said the ordinance won’t affect their normal business practices.
Owner of Nah Vapor in Neenah Colton Schwandner said, “All vaping products, whether they contain nicotine or not, if it was geared toward vaping, it cannot be sold to minors, and it is not sold to minors.”
If passed, violators could see fines of close to $200, including court fees.
“It’s not a small amount of money, especially for a high schooler,” VandenHeuvel said.
School officials said they’ve tried teaching parents and students about the health risks of vaping. They’ve also tried enforcing suspensions and taking away the devices, but that doesn’t seem to deter students from vaping.
“When you start talking about money, then people really start to pay attention!”
The Neenah Common Council is expected to consider the ordinance at a meeting on Wednesday, September 19th.
