An electronic cigarette is so small it can fit in the palm of a hand. Despite their size, e-cigarettes can harm learning and attention control in children.

“We are working really hard to make the Gardere community a healthy community,” said Executive Director of the Gardere Initiative Dr. Murelle Harrison.

The Gardere Initiative is a non-profit organization that provides after school care for grade school and high school students.

“Then a vape shop appeared right across from our park, so that really concerns us because young people can purchase the vape,” said Dr. Harrison.

More than two million high school students said they vape in a 2022 Center for Disease and Control Study.

“If we have more vape shops in this area, then children are going to access them more,” said Dr. Harrison. “That is why we want to keep them as far away from our community as possible.”

There are as many vape shops in East Baton Rouge Parish as there are high schools.

“We do have distance requirements for some businesses, but vaping came around and government did not catch up,” said District 3 Council Member Rowdy Gaudet.

Guadet and the Metropolitan Council are conducting a study on the distances between vape shops and educational programs.

“We are looking at other communities, similar size to Baton Rouge,” said Gaudet. “We are looking at what types of distance requirements they have for these types of stores in relation to schools and churches.”

The Metro Council is expected to finish their study between January and March of 2024 then begin implementing distance requirements for new vape shops.