Triggers Different Approaches
Editor’s note: This commentary is provided by the Medical Marijuana Education and Research Initiative (MMERI) of Florida A&M University L-R Pictured: Donado, West &Betros
Andy Donado still remembers the call he received a decade ago: his freshman son had been caught vaping THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) in a high school restroom. The consequences were severe. His son was expelled, and sent to a remedial school for the rest of the year. “He was almost charged with a third-degree felony. He got kicked out of school and was sent to a remedial school for his entire freshman year,” Donado says.
Today, some educators are trying to avoid outcomes like that. Dr. Michael West Jr., a behavioral specialist at Florida A&M University Developmental Research School, works with K–12 students to address behavioral issues and help them reintegrate into the classroom. “We have taken on a restorative justice approach instead of going the punitive route for our students,” West says.
Florida A&M University’s Medical Marijuana Education and Research Initiative (MMERI) is addressing adolescent vaping through its Youth Vaping Education and Empowerment Initiative, offering modules for youth, parents, and educators on prevention, warning signs, and school strategies.
Some schools are also turning to new tools. Bobby Betros, CEO of SwabTek, whose company produces drug-testing kits used by schools, says many districts prioritize education before punishment. “We sell to thousands of schools, and almost all of them explore a non-punitive educational approach first,” Betros says.
For Donado, prevention begins at home. “The most important part,” he says, “is being able to keep an open line of communication with your child.”
Visit https://bit.ly/MMERIFEB2026 to watch MMERI’s Conversations on Cannabis Virtual Forum featuring Andy Donado, Dr. Michael West Jr., and Bobby Betros discussing “The Hidden Crisis in Schools.
