Opinion: S.C. House must act on illegal Chinese products
South Carolina and our nation have seen a windfall of illegal, disposable vapes reach our shores from China, while at the same time the Chinese Communist Party has outlawed their sale in their own country. Now, the nefarious manufacturers have turned their eyes to us. Here in the U.S., lackadaisical federal enforcement has allowed these products to not only be imported and distributed to unaware retailers and complacent vape shops, but also marketed to our kids through their bright, colorful packaging and candy flavors. They are even being disguised as everyday objects such as highlighters, makeup compacts, cellphones and thumb drives so they can easily be snuck past unsuspecting parents and educators.
As a result, the FDA reports 60.7% of youth choosing disposable vapes rather than cigarettes and there has been an astonishing 2,600% percent increase among high school students with reports of students as young as elementary school age emulating their elder classmates' behavior.
South Carolina schools are no different. In Sumter and across the state, we are ground zero for the growing Chinese vape problem with an increasing number of students using vaping products in classrooms, hallways and bathrooms daily. This trend has put a significant burden on educators, administrators and school resource officers who are now spending a considerable amount of their time tracking down users, confiscating products and responding to fire alarms triggered by vape use. This task has come at a great cost to classroom instruction and school safety. The rise of vaping among students has created an environment of distraction, disruption and potential harm that educators and parents are finding increasingly difficult to navigate with more and more vape shops popping up near schools around the state.
The issue has become so severe and pervasive that our state's leaders have taken decisive action to protect our youth from the harmful products being marketed and sold by Chinese corporations. Earlier this year, led by bipartisan Senate leadership, the State Senate introduced and unanimously passed Senate Bill 994. This legislation establishes a registry of legal products, sending a clear message to the Chinese corporations and their stateside peddlers that their illicit, youth-targeted products will not be tolerated in our state. It is heartening to see our leaders taking action to safeguard the well-being of our young people, and I am grateful for their dedication and commitment to this cause.
Unfortunately, the national vape lobby and their state and local partners are now pouring tens of thousands of dollars from their illegal proceeds into efforts to block the legislation in the South Carolina House. With the end of the legislative session just a few weeks away, it is imperative that the S.C. House not cave to the thinly veiled efforts of profit-driven vape shops and instead take immediate action on S.994.
This bill is vital for safeguarding the health and well-being of the children in South Carolina, who are at risk of the harmful effects of vaping. Likewise, adults looking for less harmful alternatives to cigarettes deserve clarity and order in the marketplace to ensure the products they purchase are legal. By passing this bill, the House will demonstrate its commitment to prioritizing the interests and safety of the state's future generation and ensuring that they are protected from the clear hazards of disposable vaping devices.
Shery White represents District 7 on the Sumter County School District Board of Trustees.