California bill to prevent vaping among student-athletes heads to state assembly

California lawmakers want schools to include nicotine in drug tests already given to student-athletes, some as young as seventh graders. The effort is aimed at targeting tobacco use among teens, as concern grows over the rise in youth vaping.

"Watching the increase of vaping in our youth is heartbreaking," said Assemblywoman Heather Hadwick, who represents District 1.

A new bill designed to crack down on nicotine use among student-athletes is moving forward in the state legislature. The proposal would allow schools that already have student-athlete drug testing programs to also include nicotine in those screenings.

Hadwick, the bill's author, says the proposal builds on her background in tobacco prevention work in Modoc County.

"I was kind of shocked when I got to Sacramento that people weren't really talking about it and what we're doing right now is failing our kids, so this gives us that first step," Hadwick said.

The original proposal included a provision that would have banned athletes from participating in sports after three positive tests. However, after facing opposition, the bill was amended so that any disciplinary decisions would be handled at the local school level.

"I think every kid is a little different and I don't think the state should be making those parameters anyway. There's no punitive response to this if they tested positive, we connect them with treatment and help," Hadwick said.

Despite the changes, several groups continue to oppose the bill, including Mental Health America of California. Opponents say they are concerned about how testing policies could be applied, particularly when it comes to students of color.

"The schools are only going to have the ability to test students with reasonable suspicion. We believe this discretion is going to target students of color disproportionately and lead to more students to participate," said Tiffany Murphy, Chief Operating Officer for Mental Health America of California.

Hadwick says more must be done to encourage young people to quit nicotine, noting that roughly 7% of California high school students currently report using nicotine products. She believes participation in sports can serve as a powerful motivator.

"We still want to get kids to participate, but in my past, sports was the only thing to get kids to quit for," Hadwick said.

The bill now heads to the state assembly's education committee for review.