Over the years, tobacco has developed a less-than-stellar reputation in the United States with teachers, scientists, students and just about everybody else, thanks in part to an incredibly effective campaign from the FDA. Even New York, once the center of the tobacco scene, has considered laws to limit and possibly ban its use.

Vaping showed up as a possible way to help old smokers get off tobacco. Previous smokers could use vaporizers and e-cigarettes to get nicotine in smaller quantities without using traditional cigarettes.

Eventually, however, vaping developed into its own as a smoking alternative. Companies began to sell vapor liquid without nicotine in order to entice non-smokers into using it for the taste as a pseudo version of “candy.”

The nicotine-free version has attracted some interest in minors, even if they don’t smoke cigarettes.

“I like vaping because it’s cleaner than smoking and you don’t ruin your lungs,” an anonymous source told us. “It doesn’t feel gross like cigarettes.”

While vaping can be considered cleaner than traditional smoking, it raises some concerns about being a “gateway” to cigarettes.

“I feel like vaping is better, but people will move on to smoking eventually,” said junior Duncan Lopez.

Although vaping and smoking are essentially the same activity – you inhale smoke – some call smoking gross. The FDA campaign against smoking is one reason for the sudden rise in vaping. Like a kid buying knockoff shoes in place of expensive brands, they find more easily accessible alternatives.