Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS)
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly all vapes, also referred to as Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS) contain nicotine. Nicotine is highly addictive and can harm the developing adolescent brain. Because the brain is still developing until about age 25, youth and young adult exposure to nicotine can lead to addiction and disrupt attention and learning. No amount of nicotine is safe for youth.
Although the original intention of these products may have been to help adult smokers quit, youth use of these devices, both locally as well as nationally, has dramatically spiked in the past several years. According to the CDC’s 2018 data, more than 3.6 million U.S. middle and high school students surveyed had used e-cigarettes in the past 30 days, including 4.9% of middle school students and 20.8% of high school students.
These numbers are expected to exponentially increase over the years unless youth advocates, schools, parents, legislators, and other local community and national leaders can take action to end the epidemic. This can be done, in part, by utilizing the resources below to share information, educate students and parents and craft and strengthen existing policy changes.
Tobacco and Other Nicotine Products
Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death, leads to disease and disability and harms nearly every organ of the body. According to Tobacco Free Kids, 16,200 adults die each year from their own smoking and 213,000 kids now under 18 and alive in Michigan will ultimately die prematurely from smoking.
Smoking kills more people than alcohol, AIDS, car crashes, illegal drugs, murders, and suicides combined — and thousands more die from other tobacco-related causes — such as fires caused by smoking (more than 1,000 deaths/year nationwide) and smokeless tobacco use.
In 2018, 13.7% of all adults (34.2 million people) currently smoked cigarettes: 15.6% of men, 12.0% of women. Many adult cigarette smokers want to quit smoking, and it takes, on average, 11 quit attempts before someone quits for good.
Despite the harms associated with tobacco use, the tobacco industry spends billions of dollars each year on marketing cigarettes. In order to reduce the death and mortality associated with use of tobacco products, key stakeholders and public health professionals must work to strengthen policies and advocate for proper use of tobacco prevention funding.
Quit Resources
My Life My Quit This is the first comprehensive program designed just for teens utilizing teen-focused messaging. The teen will go through five real time coaching sessions via live text messaging, online chat or phone. The coaching sessions are led by specially trained coaches. Each teen will receive a certificate upon completion. TOLL FREE: 1-855-891-9989
This is Quitting This is a free mobile program from Truth Initiative designed to help 13-24 year olds quit vaping. The program incorporates texts from other youth who have quit or are attempting to quit and utilizes evidence based tips & tricks.Access the program by texting DITCHJUUL to 88709
teen.smokefree.gov This link provides tips and tricks to help teens quit vaping including: understanding why they’re quitting, how to quit tobacco completely, setting a quit date, understanding the challenges of quitting, imagining themselves vape free and building a support team.
Michigan Tobacco Quitline Tobacco and vape quitline for adults who use tobacco products, including vapes. Phone: 1-800-QUIT-NOW
women.smokefree.gov This website provides tobacco and nicotine product information specifically for women, including those who are or may become pregnant.
Resources for Parents
Health Issues – Tobacco This website was crafted by The American Academy of Pediatrics and provides links to many different articles about general tobacco and e-cigarettes including information about third hand smoke, facts for parents about e-cigarettes and vaping and articles such as, “smoking hurts everyone”.
Talk Sooner This resource is intended for utilization by parents or caregivers who are looking for information about starting conversations with kids and teens about drugs; this includes nicotine products such as vapes.
Know the Risks: Talk with your Teen about e-cigarettes- A tip sheet for Parents Located on the surgeon general’s page, this 4-page document is a great resource to provide to parents to provide an overview of the risks associated with teen e-cigarette use.
Office of Population Affairs This resource offers tips and tricks for parents and caregivers when communicating the risks of using tobacco products with kids and teens.