4 hours Ago By Ryan McNamara
GRAND FORKS — A new wave of vaping products is raising concern for public health officials and police in North Dakota. So-called “smart vapes” are designed to resemble everyday items like smartphones, watches, and even highlighters — making them nearly impossible to spot. “It keeps getting to be more and more tricks versus it just being in a device anymore,” said Abby Lange, a community health educator with Fargo Cass Public Health.
“And I think that they were making headway on having kids know the dangers of using e-cigarettes and vapes, so they have to keep using new and new tactics to kind of get them to go and be interested in them in the first place.” Lange and Grand Forks police say the sleek designs and tech features of these vapes — some with touchscreen capability — can connect to a user’s phone, social media apps and even Bluetooth earbuds. “They can do any of their social media, text, call, anything, listen to music right through it, it will connect to their earbuds as well.
So it really becomes kind of their marketing is something to use instead of your cellphone,” Lange said. The concern isn't just about concealment — it’s also about the potential harm. Lange said youth are especially vulnerable because of how nicotine affects the developing brain.
“It’s their brain development that is our biggest concern. That’s what the nicotine does. The potency of the nicotine in vapes really can cause a lot of permanent damage,” she said.
She adds that young users are being directly targeted by vape manufacturers. “We can’t be blaming the youth for this. They’re being targeted,” Lange said.
Grand Forks police are also noticing a growing trend. “It seems like it grows a little bit every single year that it comes up, and it just keeps expanding and compounding,” said Brian Samson, education outreach officer. Fargo Cass Public Health plans to continue outreach and education to raise awareness and keep smart vapes out of children's hands.
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