Helping Youths Quit Vaping

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 03/03/25
Contact: Kelly Dremann Tobacco Cessation Coordinator 330-674-5035 ext. 224 kdremann@holmeshealth.org
NEWS RELEASE
Helping Youths Quit Vaping Millersburg, OH –
According to the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids, approximately 4,200 kids under age 18 try an e-cigarette for the first time each day in the United States. E-cigarettes often have higher strengths of nicotine than other tobacco products, making them more addictive, especially for young people. Because the youth brain is still developing, youths can often become addicted to nicotine quicker than adults, even while just experimenting. Nicotine use will also affect the brain’s continued development, most impacting the parts of the brain that control attention, learning, mood, and impulse control. Additionally, youths that vape are more likely to use cigarettes in the future and may be at greater risk for drug use.
Would you recognize the signs that a youth you know is vaping or addicted to nicotine? Would you know how to start a conversation about vaping? Live Vape Free has a free Adult Advocate Program that provides adults with self-paced online content, a conversation guide, and other tools to support adults in having productive conversations with youths about vaping. All advocate resources are accessible on their website, livevapefree.com/advocate. By providing adults with practical tools and education, adult advocates can become quit champions for teens needing support while quitting. Starting the conversation is only the first step in helping a youth quit
vaping. Adult advocates can also encourage and help the youth enroll in the Live Vape Free Youth Program.
The Live Vape Free Youth Program is a free and comprehensive program to assist youth ages 13-17 with quitting vaping. Enrolling is easy through the Live Vape Free website. Once enrolled, participants receive their first text message within 24 hours and will continue to receive twice daily messages for ninety days. The program teaches the skills that participants need to quit vaping for good through text messages, nine online lessons, and resources including videos, quizzes, self- assessments, flip cards, and podcasts. Youth participants can receive ongoing support at any time throughout their quit journey by texting keywords, like STRESS or BOOST, which enables the participant to receive specific content based on the type of support needed at that time. Live Vape Free also offers a Young Adult program for those ages 18-26, with a couple of key differences. The young adult program has eleven online lessons and participants can receive nicotine replacement therapy in the form of patches, gum, or lozenges, to assist with quitting.
In the United States, most high school and middle school students that currently vape want to quit. According to the Center for Disease Control, in 2020, 63.9% of students reported wanting to quit and 67.4% had made a quit attempt within the past year. By starting a supportive conversation and encouraging youth to utilize available resources like Live Vape Free, adult advocates can help address youth vaping within our community.