CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — As more teens continue showing up in court, one local judge is hoping more children will learn early on the dangers of things like vaping.
Nueces County Precinct 1 Justice of the Peace Joe Benavides sponsored a poster and essay contest for area elementary school children to highlight those dangers, and hopefully even influence older students.
Local elected officials got a chance to talk with children and their parents in attendance who were court-ordered to be there.
They were also able congratulate the students who placed in the poster and essay contest, such as Windsor Park Elementary first grader Kimia Khan -- who proudly took home third place.
"I wrote a little essay about the dangers of vaping and I also made a poster that includes many of the dangers of vaping and how, when my mommy was little, tobacco companies they used cartoons like Joe Camel to advertise kids and grown-ups," she said.
Benavides said that the most important thing is to make sure that children and parents understand the harmful impacts that vaping can pose. He also said that he sees around 50 kids from different school districts in his courtroom for vaping offenses.
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