A sharp spike in vaping and the use of e-cigarettes by students has grabbed the attention of school administrators and school police officers.

The rapid spread of the fad was flagged in a 2016 report from the US surgeon general. It cited a 900% increase in e-cigarette use by high school students from 2011 to 2015, and the 2016 National Youth Tobacco Survey noted that 1.7 million high school students said they had used e-cigarettes in the previous 30 days. For middle school students, the number was 500,000.

Now, the alarming trend is prompting concerns that some companies are taking direct aim at teenagers by tailoring and marketing e-cigarettes and vaping products to younger users.

The 2017 results of Monitoring the Future are in and the numbers show an alarming trend in e-cigarette use. 47,703 students from 360 public and private schools participate in the survey conducted by researchers at the Institute for Social Research at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, under a grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Nearly 1 in 3 students in 12th-grade report past-year use of e-vaporizers in 2017, raising concerns about the impact on their long-term health. Here is how e-cigarette use broke down by grade level: 8th grade: 13.3%; 10th grade: 23.9%; and 12th grade: 27.8%. The survey also asked students what they thought was in the e-vaporizer mist the last time they smoked. 25.1% of the 8th graders, 32.8% of the 10th graders, and 11.1% of the 12th graders thought their vaping liquid contained nicotine. The newest and most popular vaping devices, such as the JUUL, Phix, or Soren contain pure nicotine. One pod (200 puffs) contain the same amount of nicotine as a pack of cigarettes. Nearly a tenth of the students, 8-12th grade, believed their device contained marijuana oil. The vast majority believed their devices contained a harmless flavoring: 8th grade: 74.8%; 10th grade: 59.2%; and 12th grade: 51.8%.

Another disturbing trend is th ...