In his February newsletter, Tall Cop Jermaine Galloway focused on why there is a vape epidemic in schools, stating that it may not end any time in the foreseeable future.
Galloway began by stating that schools and communities closing due to the pandemic in March of 2020 impacted the vape world. Around June of that same year, Galloway continued to conduct scans in order to learn how the pandemic impacted stores offering vape products. He discovered that a glaring void was vape pens on shelves.
In multiple stores, mostly in the southwest, Galloway was told that stores were out of vapes, especially the popular variety that can also be used for other drugs, such as cannabis. The Tall Cop acknowledged that he does not believe that the products were only used by youth, and he does not believe that everyone during the pandemic was using in one way or another, but he does believe that substance use increased.
“Free time, in addition to the other, many pandemic stressors, is one of the worst things a person struggling with addiction can have,” said Tall Cop. “Speaking of, let’s turn our focus to youth during the initial phase of the pandemic.”
He explained that some of the youth were alone and isolated while at home and unable to receive in-person resources. Those that are or were suffering from addiction were essentially given free alone time to use even more.
Galloway also spoke on how, during the beginning of the pandemic, many of the common nicotine vapes across the country were about 300 to 800 puffs or hits. In mid 2020, that escalated to about 1,200 puffs. Now, it is not uncommon to find vapes on shelves that continue anywhere from 1,000 to 10,000 hits.