Two Charles County high school students were issued juvenile citations for cannabis possession this week after separate incidents involving THC vape devices, according to the Charles County Sheriff’s Office — the latest in a string of similar cases reported across the district this year.
On Aug. 27, a 15-year-old student at Henry E. Lackey High School was found in possession of several packaged vape devices containing THC. In an unrelated case the day before, a 15-year-old student at Westlake High School was found with a vape containing THC. Both students were cited and face additional consequences under the Charles County Public Schools code of student conduct.
The two cases add to a pattern CCSO has documented in press releases throughout the year. In May, a 7-year-old at J.P. Ryon Elementary School and an 11-year-old at Davis Middle School were each found in possession of THC vapes on the same day. In June, a 14-year-old at Glymont Middle School was caught vaping THC in class. In March, a THC vape incident at two Charles County schools was serious enough that one student required hospitalization.
Officials and health experts have consistently warned that vapes marketed to teens can contain unknown or dangerous substances beyond nicotine or THC, including chemicals not disclosed on packaging. CCSO’s release urged parents to talk with their children directly about those risks.
Families looking for support have several free resources available. The Maryland Department of Health’s Vape Experiment program lets teens text VAPEFREE to 873-373 for cessation support. Truth Initiative, a national public health nonprofit, offers a similar free text-based program — teens can text DITCHVAPE to 88709 to receive support quitting. The American Lung Association’s Vape-Free Schools Initiative also provides schools with guidance, education materials and cessation resources for students affected by e-cigarette use, with active regional programming in the mid-Atlantic.
Charles County Public Schools, which serves roughly 26,900 students across the district, has faced growing scrutiny over vaping in recent months, including public discussion at the school board level about how to address the issue. The Sheriff’s Office continues to treat on-campus vape incidents involving THC as citable cannabis possession offenses for juveniles, layered on top of school discipline under the CCPS code of conduct.
Anyone with information related to these or similar incidents is encouraged to contact the Sheriff’s Office.
