“Start the Conversation Workshops: How to Talk with Young People about Vaping, JUULs, and Other Electronic Nicotine Products.” Being a trusted adult about important health topics such as vaping can foster strong relationships that prevent unhealthy habits. To build your skills in conversations about vaping & other challenging topics, register for free workshops offered virtually in English or Spanish. http://tobaccofreejeffco.com
Most young e-cigarette users want to quit, 1 in 3 has tried in the past year according to Truth Initiative research published in Preventive Medicine Reports. These findings come as Truth Initiative launches its latest campaign, This is Quitting, a free, anonymous text message quit vaping program created specifically for youth and young adults
Truth Initiative: A toxic, plastic problem: E-cigarette waste and the environment
Almost half (49.1%) of young people don’t know what to do with used e-cigarette pods and disposable devices, according to Truth Initiative research conducted in 2020. The environmental consequences of e-cigarette waste are enormous.
The U.S. Surgeon General has called e-cigarette use by young people an epidemic, but there are things everyone can do to reduce the harms of e-cigarette use by youth. Many things drive this epidemic. One is nicotine addiction, and new e-cigarette types let users inhale even more nicotine. Another is advertising, which uses animations, celebrities, and young actors to appeal to youth. Fortunately, there are proven ways to help reduce use of e-cigarettes by youth. Teachers, coaches, and health care workers can talk to young people about the harms of e-cigarettes. Parents and caregivers can set a good example by making the home smoke-free.
Parents Against Vaping E-cigarettes Parent: designed to educate parents about the teen vaping problem and provides educational materials that can be downloaded. https://www.parentsagainstvaping.org/home-new
Four Things Parents Need to Know about Juul and Nicotine Addiction: https://truthinitiative.org/research-resources/emerging-tobacco-products/4-things-parents-need-know-about-juul-and-nicotine
How to Help Your Child Quit Vaping:
Tobacco-Free Kids “ Protect Kids: Fight Flavored E-Cigarettes” campaign has developed a robust set of free, online parent resources because of concern that behaviors such as vaping that weaken the lungs may put kids at greater risk of more symptomatic infection with COVID-19.
Jeffco Healthy Schools SHAC (Student Health Advisory Council) worked on a Vaping Campaign in 2020. Here is a link to their completed project, with substantive and comprehensive information and resources, valuable to teens, parents, and educators: https://sites.google.com/jeffcoschools.us/jeffcoshac/home/e-cigarettes-and-vaping?authuser=0
Youth Resources:
Smoke Free Teen: This NCI initiative is designed to help teens stop using tobacco by providing information grounded in scientific evidence and offering free tools that meet teens where they are — on their mobile phones. Their text messaging program can help teens quit smoking, and the quitSTART app helps teens become smoke free by providing helpful strategies with tailored tips, inspirations, and challenges. Teens appreciate the minimal demographic information required to enroll in the program. https://teen.smokefree.gov
Colorado Youth QuitLine: Offers text, online, and phone coaching for youth 12 and over. Medications may be available for ages 18+. A text message program helps dealing with cravings and a c hat function enables talking with a coach online instead of a phone. Coaches don’t need to speak with parents, and all conversations are completely confidential. https://coyouthquitline.org
My Life My Quit: Provides a confidential service for teens who want help quitting all forms of tobacco including vaping. Coaches receive extensive training as tobacco treatment specialists and use motivational interview techniques. Resources are also available for parents/guardians, educators, healthcare providers, and community members.
TheTruth.com: Find out more about the tobacco industry’s secrets and how to build a resolve
to quit and stay quit. A youth-friendly format that includes games, videos and other fun youth-focused resources encouraging tobacco-free living. https://www.thetruth.com
The Real Cost of Tobacco: Provides factual information about tobacco use enabling teens to make their own decisions. Resources for quitting smoking, vaping, dip and chew are also provided. https://therealcost.betobaccofree.hhs.gov
Educator and School Administrator Resources:
Stanford Tobacco Prevention Toolkit: Theory-based and evidence-informed resources created by and for educators, parents, and researchers aimed at preventing middle and high school students’ use of tobacco and nicotine. https://med.stanford.edu/tobaccopreventiontoolkit/about/FAQ.html
Catch My Breath: In response to the youth vaping crisis, experts at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) developed CATCH My Breath, a youth e-cigarette, JUUL, and vaping prevention program for grades 5-12. This evidence-based program was shown to substantially reduce students’ likelihood of vaping in the year following program implementation. Students also showed a significant increase in knowledge of the dangers of vaping and an increase in positive perceptions about choosing a vape-free lifestyle. It is implemented in schools and teachers have free access to the program.
Youth Vaping Cessation Resources
Truth Initiative Overview of Youth Vaping, Smoking, and Nicotine Use: https://truthinitiative.org/our-top-issues/vaping-issue
Truth Initiative developed a first-of-its-kind program called “This is Quitting”, a free quit-vaping text messaging program designed specifically for teens and young adults. Schools, youth-serving organizations and state and local governments have partnered with This is Quitting to customize it for their unique populations. Teens and young adults can join for free by texting DITCHVAPE to 88709: https://truthinitiative.org/what-we-do/quit-smoking-tools
Link to multiple articles related to quit-vaping, such as Five tips for handling nicotine withdrawal, How to support someone on their quit-vaping journey, Vaping prevention and quit resources – top tips for parents and educators, How quitting nicotine use can improve mental health, etc.: https://truthinitiative.org/research-resources/topic/quitting-smoking-vaping
National Jewish Health, “My Life, My Quit” is a free and confidential way to quit vaping by texting “ StartMyQuit” to 36072 to chat with a Coach: https://co.mylifemyquit.org/index
The Colorado QuitLine is a free support tool available to all Colorado residents, with a team of trained coaches: https://www.tobaccofreeco.org/quit-tobacco/im-ready-to-quit/
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
Tobacco Free Colorado: Provides a user-friendly and factual overview of tobacco use in Colorado with resources for youth and young adults, parents, adults, marginalized populations, health care providers, employers, and policy makers. https://www.tobaccofreeco.org
INDEPTH: An interactive four-session, in-person program created as an alternative to teen nicotine suspension or citation. It is run by a facilitator and free online training is available to facilitators. The program helps schools and communities address the teen vaping problem in a supportive way. The program was developed by the American Lung Association in partnership with the West Virginia University and is available to any school or community. https://www.lung.org/stop-smoking/helping-teens-quit/indepth.html
Tobacco Free Youth Toolkit for Healthcare Providers, Educators, and Parents: Provides guidance for healthcare providers, educators, and parents to support tobacco cessation and prevention for youth. It recognizes the unique characteristics and needs of youth and provides information on how to partner with youth to support healthy behaviors.
https://www.bhwellness.org/tobacoo-free-toolkits/
Vaping, or use of electronic cigarettes continues to be a serious health issue facing our youth. Free web, text and phone support for youth who are seeking help for addiction to any form of tobacco are available: www.coyouthquitline.org/ or https://www.mylifemyquit.com . Additional information is available at PAVe (Parents Against Vaping E-cigarettes), a grassroots organization formed in 2018 by three mothers who were concerned about the popularity of vaping among teens: https://www.parentsagainstvaping.org/home-new
A six-minute video depicts how JUUL became such an appealing product to teens: https://www.wsj.com/video/how-juul-took-a-page-from-big-tobacco-playbook/80048489-676D-47BC-9D6A-A2E6BE4712B9.html
Vaping & Drug Use Prevention
Electronic Cigarette Epidemic in our Youth Advisory from the Surgeon General: “E-cigarette use has become an epidemic among our nation’s young people…. Everyone can play an important role in protecting our nation’s young people from the risks of e-cigarettes.” Information for Parents:
- Learn about the different shapes and types of e-cigarettes and the risks of all forms of their use for young people at https://e-cigarettes.surgeongeneral.gov
- Adopt tobacco-free rules, including e-cigarettes, in your home and vehicle
- Let your child know that you want them to stay away from all tobacco products
- Talk to your child or teen about why e-cigarettes are harmful for them. It’s never too late. Get the Surgeon General’s tip sheet for parents, Talk with Your Teen About E-cigarettes, at https://e-cigarettes.surgeongeneral.gov . Start the conversation early with children about why e-cigarettes, including JUUL, are harmful for them.
On July 1, 2019, National Jewish Health launched a Vaping and Tobacco Youth Cessation Program to help with the youth vaping epidemic. My Life, My Quit™ is the first comprehensive program designed just for teens. Teens can text or call a toll-free number (1-855-891-9989) dedicated specifically to teens, or visit mylifemyquit.com for online enrollment and real-time coaching. Activities to support quitting and stress relief are also provided.