HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW) --So far this year, Horry County Schools have dealt with nearly 200 incidents of youths vaping either tobacco or THC products, leading officials to call for more community action as the problem continues.

"These numbers are deeply concerning, and serve as a clear reminder that this is not just a school issue," Superintendent Cliff Jones said Monday.

The discussion comes three months after federal regulators allowed leading manufacturer JUUL to keep its products on the market. A 2024 state Department of Public Health study found 11% of all high school students reported using some type of tobacco.

Ryan Poston, principal at St. James High School, has spent the past four years researching the affects of e-cigarettes on teens.

"When young people say that vaping is

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