A new Alabama state law, House Bill 8, is set to change how schools handle student vaping, according to Colbert County Schools Superintendent Nathan Fuller. The law, which took effect on June 1st, aims to curtail youth vaping by regulating who can buy tobacco and vape products and introducing stricter consequences for underage possession.
Fuller explained that HB8 makes it more difficult for these products to be available in convenience stores and establishes it as a criminal offense for juveniles to purchase or possess them. A key change for schools is the mandatory involvement of law enforcement. "With this new law, it will require that every vape be turned over to law enforcement if we find it in the possession of a juvenile," Fuller stated. This shifts the issue from a simple administrative matter to a legal one, potentially leading to court appearances for students.
The law also emphasizes education and prevention. A judge can now order a student caught with a vape to enroll in a tobacco education and cessation class. Fuller advises parents to discuss the new law's severity and the dangers of vaping with their children before the school year begins on August 7th.
