Hennepin County Drug Take Back now accepting vape devices
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - For the first time in the 18-year history of the Drug Take Back Day program, the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office will accept vaping devices in addition to old prescription medication.
“I do think we got to get in front of this before it gets any worse,” said Hennepin County Sheriff David Hutchinson.
While prescription drugs still make-up the most drug-involved overdoses, illegal THC vaping is a growing public health threat. A lot of cases are still under review, but nationwide nearly 1,500 lung injuries and 33 deaths have been linked to e-cigs or vaping products.
According to a statistic released by the Minnesota Department of Health, 1 in 4 high school juniors reported using an e-cigarette in the last month. That amount represents a 54 percent increase from 2016.
“And the DEA’s goal and our goal is to make sure, we want to stop addiction before it starts,” said Sheriff Hutchinson.
Even more significant, the student survey found a jump in vaping among eighth graders, with nearly twice as many using an e-cig in the last 30 days.
“This 10-year-old boy was recently caught vaping by his parents,” said Jason Clopton, a mental health counselor, who applauds the event, but insists more needs to be done.
“Every effort we make to tackle this problem needs to be in alignment with mental health support,” said Clopton.
Meanwhile, at Smokeless Vapor Lounge, General Manager Mark Bartholomew says e-cigs have helped people quit smoking.
“I’m getting less new people in, because the message is getting sent to smokers that all vaping is bad,” said Bartholomew.
The lounge’s manager says he knows of at least 100 people who’ve not only stopped smoking, but dropped nicotine all together because of vaping.
“We want people to be nicotine-free eventually and this has made it easier than ever to do it,” said Bartholomew.
Smokeless Vapor Lounge General Manager Mark Bartholomew is handing out these cards with his vaping devices to warn customers about using illicit THC. (FOX 9)
That's why ever since the lung injury outbreak, Bartholomew puts cards in all devices to warn against using illegal THC cartridges bought on the street.
“We really don’t want people to be using these cartridges,” he said.
Illicit THC vaping has been connected to a recent outbreak of severe lung injuries and at least one of Minnesota’s three vaping-related deaths, according to the Minnesota Department of Health. Almost all who now suffer severe lung injuries had a history of vaping illegal cannabis.
“Our goal is to help people and make sure they don’t die, it’s not to enforce any laws, or make people look out of place or dumb, our goal is to help people,” said Sheriff Hutchinson.
Minnesotans hospitalized for lung injuries reported vaping illegal THC, but many injured also said they vaped other products, too, including nicotine. While the Minnesota Department of Health confirms illegal THC vaping is likely the big issue, dozens of the cases remain under investigation.