I love sitting in McDonald’s eating burgers and fries while drinking coffee and working on my laptop. In fact, I wrote this editorial letter and sent it from McD’s, given they have free WiFi.
However, I am concerned. Young people are using the parking lot at McD’s to hang out after school. I have often seen teens vaping, using e-cigaretts (like Juuls). Also some kids hang out inside McD’s texting on their smartphones. I wonder if they are up to no good since they should be at home doing homework or studying.
This concerns me as it should all parents as some kid have died using these devices. Apparently they get high vaping THC or other chemical substances (meth, opiates, crack, etc.), whatever will give them kids a buzz.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, 1,080 probable cases of lung injuries have been reported as of Oct. 3, 2019 in 48 states and one territory, the US Virgin Islands due to vaping. A study published in the journal Tobacco Control found that emergency rooms saw “an estimated 2035 e-cigarette explosion and burn injuries” from 2015–2017. Exploding e-cigarettes have shattered peoples’ jaws and even killed people!
I understand Trump has even suggested banning e-cigarettes given the number of deaths, injuries, and people hospitalized while vaping. Are teens vaping THC or other controlled substances in the parking lot at McD’s?
I really do not know. McD’s called 911 and had me thrown out last year. Why? Perhaps they do not want everyone to know what’s going on -- and since I take photographs of everything and write letters to the editor like this one, McD’s apparently does not want me around.
Yes, I am a whistleblower. But hey, maybe blowing a whistle on teens vaping at McD’s will save a life. It is the vaping, not me, which McD’s should be concerned about and not permit.
Why does McDonald’s allow employees and customers, especially teens, to vape on its premises? And why don’t parents stop their kids from hanging out at McD’s and vaping? Does a child have to die from an exploding e-cigarette before action will be taken to stop this harmful behavior? Let’s hope not.
Respectfully,
TerryLynch@aol.com
