'It's a significant issue' - Student rushed to hospital after smoking vape pen

PAULDING COUNTY, Ga. — A 10th grader had to be rushed to the hospital after deputies said the student took a hit from a vape pen and became severely sick.

The incident happened Tuesday at South Paulding High School.

A police report obtained by Channel 2's Lauren Pozen said the student had a hard time sitting up, was swaying back and forth, and had glossy, bloodshot eyes.

The student eventually passed out and was rushed to a nearby hospital, the report said.

"That is scary. You send your kids to school, you expect them to come home the same way you left,” a parent told Pozen.

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Deputies with the Paulding County Sheriff’s Office said they sent the juice from inside the vape pen to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation for testing.

“Some people are alleging that it was rat poison, could be THC oil. So at this point we really don’t want it is,” said Sgt. Ashley Henson, with the Sheriff’s Office. “He did pass out. He was breathing but was rushed to the hospital.”

Former South Paulding High School student Luke Torrey said vaping under age and not knowing where the product came from, is a dangerous game.

“You never know what you are going to get from some random person. ‘Hey, I got this kind of pod that has like THC or something in it,’” Torrey said.

Henson said there’s been multiple cases just like this one in just two weeks in the county at various schools.

Pozen checked with the Paulding County School District and was told vaping has become a big problem. In a statement, the district said:

“Students are vaping in our high schools and middle schools, and we have even seen a few cases in the elementary schools. It has become a significant issue that our administrators and school resource officers deal with on a daily basis.”

Pozen went to a vape shop Thursday to see what the procedure is to buy a vape or vape juice.
You have to be at least 18 to buy any of the materials.

“Whenever somebody enters, we do have to ID to make sure they are even allowed to be in the store,” store owner Abbas Khan said.

Pozen asked about vape juices and how they could be tainted. Khan said they are all sealed when they leave the store.

“They are made by manufacturers. They are sealed. It is not something that we can tamper with,” Khan said.

Khan said vaping is usually used for a lifestyle change, mainly by adults who want to stop smoking.

“Parents shouldn’t be buying this for their kids who are underage,” Henson said. “If children are using any of the nicotine products they can easily get addicted if it is a higher concentration.”

The school district told Pozen that deputies with the Sheriff's Office will talk to students Friday about the dangers of vaping.

Parents will also be getting a letter from the district on how to continue the conversation at home.

Cox Media Group