Though e-cigarettes are a way for many smokers to get around smoking bans in many locations, it appears that schools are not likely to be on the list of e-cig-friendly venues.

Electronic cigarettes, which are not currently regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, use vapor rather than smoke. This eliminates second-hand smoke, making e-cigs a more socially acceptable product compared to their traditional cousins.

In general, companies and institutions that ban smoking (essentially all businesses and public buildings) have struggled regarding what to do about e-cigaretttes. Since the products only harm the person using them, many places that don't allow smoking have tolerated e-cigs. 

In April, the FDA proposed rules to regulate e-cigarettes that would ban their sale to minors, but no rules have been adopted yet.

USA Today, however, reports that schools across the country are not waiting for the FDA and are instead enacting bans on their own. 

"Even when the FDA regulations are in effect, they won't have the authority to prohibit the use of these products in public places or school grounds," Cathy Callaway, associate director of state and local campaigns for the American Cancer Society's Cancer Action Network, told the paper. "School districts will still need to take that step."

See see the article to learn which school district have already acted.

Article by Daniel B. Kline, EducationWorld Contributing Editor