No e-Cigs or Weed

Alcohol, Tobacco, and Drugs have not been allowed around youth in the BSA program for quite awhile. Recent technological and political changes have caused two items to be added to section IV of the Guide to Safe Scouting.

• electronic cigarettes: Adult leaders should support the attitude that they, as well as youth, are better off without tobacco in any form and may not allow the use of tobacco products at any BSA activity involving youth participants. This includes the use of electronic cigarettes, personal vaporizers, or electronic nicotine delivery systems that simulate tobacco smoking.
  All Scouting functions, meetings, and activities should be conducted on a smoke-free basis, with smoking areas located away from all participants.
• medical marijuana: It is unacceptable for anyone to use or be under the influence of medical marijuana at or during any Scouting activity.

Being ignorant of e-cigs, I just reviewed a bunch of online videos of them. Proponents say they are safe, clean, and help kick the smoking habit. Opponents say they promote a smoking lifestyle, deliver drugs and harmful chemicals to the body, and are not helpful in kicking smoking addiction.

My casual observer view is that they look like silly and are very expensive. Youth seeing adults using them could certainly be swayed to use them, too.

Scout On