The Monitoring the Future Survey (MTF) published today in JAMA Pediatrics shows that nicotine vaping among youth remained high in 2020 with 22% of 10th and 12th graders using e-cigarettes in the last 30 days, essentially unchanged from 22.5% in 2019. These data are consistent with those from the National Youth Tobacco Survey (NYTS) released in September 2020, that showed nearly 20% of high school students, one in five, use e-cigarettes underscoring that youth tobacco use remains at epidemic levels and much more needs to be done.
Both the NYTS and MTF surveys reinforce stronger federal policies must be put in place immediately that are clear, comprehensive, and consistently enforced with no loopholes. Ad hoc policy responses to date, like warning letters to vaping companies such as Puff Bar or partial flavors bans, have resulted in product substitution, failures to comply, and new illegal products continuing to enter the market. A nation-wide policy without exceptions is needed to significantly reduce the youth vaping epidemic. As the survey results released today show, although use of JUUL decreased between 2019 and 2020, JUUL remained the most popular e-cigarette brand among 10th and 12th graders who were current vapers at 41%, and new, unregulated flavored disposable products such as Puff Bar (8%) and Smok (13.1%) have stepped in to fill whatever void was left by JUUL’s partial flavored pod removal. Flavors remain the overwhelming preference for youth vapers, with fruit and mint flavors the most popular, and menthol more than twice as popular as tobacco flavor. The FDA and incoming Biden Administration have a window of opportunity to accelerate progress by clearing the market of all flavored tobacco products (including menthol) and to stop playing whack-a-mole with loophole ridden policies so that we protect our youth before these addictive products make their way into kids’ hands – not after.
If there is good news to be taken from this year’s survey, it’s that the sharp growth in youth e-cigarette use has been stemmed. One reason suggested from the data is that teens are getting the message that vaping nicotine is not just fun and flavors. Among all youth surveyed, perceived risk of both occasional and regular nicotine vaping increased. According to the 2020 data, the percentage of 10th and 12th grade students who perceived “great harm” from occasional nicotine vaping significantly increased from 21% in 2019 to 27% in 2020. Perceived risk of regular nicotine vaping also significantly increased from 39% in 2019 to 49% in 2020, continuing increases that began in 2018.
This underscores that the efforts of Truth Initiative and our public health partners are starting to work. Since the fall of 2018, youth vaping prevention and education have been the primary focus of Truth Initiative’s proven-effective national truth campaign. Most recently, and in response to the pandemic, truth launched an effort titled Vaping vs. Immune Systems with Dr. Rutland to educate youth on the connection between COVID-19 and vaping, change misperceptions, and help them stay healthy by explaining how vaping can damage lungs and weaken immune systems.
This is Quitting, truth’s first-of-its-kind, free text message quit vaping program designed specifically for teens and young adults already has more than 225,000 young people enrolled to date. According to preliminary data published in Nicotine & Tobacco Research, after just two weeks of using the program, more than half (60.8%) reported that they had reduced or stopped using e-cigarettes.
And most recently, Truth Initiative and Kaiser Permanente, in collaboration with the American Heart Association launched a national vaping prevention curriculum called Vaping: Know the truth to guide teachers and empower teens who vape to quit, or to never start in the first place. This free digital program is unique in that is written and delivered in truth’s peer-to-peer voice, self-led, available digitally or in the classroom and directly links students who are vaping to our proven-effective This is Quitting program.
Virtual Training via ZOOM Monday Dec. 14 2-3pm.
Training Provided By: Vivent Health
Learn how to save lives! No cost for the training it will be arranged for participants to get a naloxone kit at no cost. Training recommended for anyone at risk of an opioid overdose, friends and family of someone at risk, healthcare, social and outreach service providers. You will learn how to recognize the signs of an overdose, the steps to administering naloxone and how to save a live.
Virtual Training via ZOOM Monday Dec. 14 2-3pm.
Training Provided By: Vivent Health
Learn how to save lives! No cost for the training it will be arranged for participants to get a naloxone kit at no cost. Training recommended for anyone at risk of an opioid overdose, friends and family of someone at risk, healthcare, social and outreach service providers. You will learn how to recognize the signs of an overdose, the steps to administering naloxone and how to save a live.
Virtual Training via ZOOM Monday Dec. 14 2-3pm.
Training Provided By: Vivent Health
Learn how to save lives! No cost for the training it will be arranged for participants to get a naloxone kit at no cost. Training recommended for anyone at risk of an opioid overdose, friends and family of someone at risk, healthcare, social and outreach service providers. You will learn how to recognize the signs of an overdose, the steps to administering naloxone and how to save a live.
Public Support for E-Cigarette-related Policies among a Nationally Representative Sample of US Adults, Tobacco Use Insights (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7549073/?ct=t(EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_11_2020)
In this study, researchers measured public support for e-cigarette related policies and assessed differences in support by demographics, tobacco use, geographic region, and strength of state-level clean indoor air policies. A nationally representative online panel of U.S. adults was asked about their support for 5 policies: (1) a policy which requires that tobacco products, like e-cigarettes and cigarettes, be kept out of view in stores where adolescents shop; (2) a ban on the sale of fruit, alcohol, or candy flavored e-cigarettes; (3) a policy that would prohibit use of e-cigarettes in all public places; (4) a policy that would prohibit use of e-cigarettes in restaurant; and (5) a policy that would prohibit use of e-cigarettes in bars. A majority of respondents (63.3%) supported a flavor ban, with no differences in support by smoking status. Most respondents supported keeping tobacco products out of view (78.0%) and prohibiting e-cigarette use in indoor public places (82.9%), restaurants (86.5%), and bars (76.1%). This study suggests an increase in public support for e-cigarette policies. Learn more about e-cigs at the point-of-sale and related policy options.
Press Release – For Immediate Release
Contact – Debbie Fischer – Youth2Youth 4 Change Director a program of Family Services
debtfk@aol.com 608-751-6018
(photo left to right (youth members) Yesenia Lopez,
Maritza Santiago, Patrick Rochester and DeeDee
Williams Youth2Youth 4 Change Prevention Specialist)
Youth2Youth 4 Change a program of Family Services in collaboration with a City of Beloit, CDBG Community Development Block Grant. Through this grant the youth members and staff DeeDee Williams designed and placed an educational sign at Schellsberg Park on Bluff St. The park has been known for beautiful eagle sightings. This is what moved the organization to provide an educational sign that will let citizens know the story and facts about the Eagle.
Youth advocates through Y2Y have been busy since the beginning of COVID by providing educational podcasts, designing educational campaigns, and completing multiple community service projects.
Youth2Youth 4 Change is a program to empower middle and high school age youth to provide information about substance use prevention and to provide a positive impact in their communities. For more information go to y2y4c.com.
We know how hard these times can be, especially as the weather grows colder and the holidays approach. If you or someone you know is in need of help, we’ve compiled a list of food pantries in the city of Beloit in both English and Spanish. Please feel free to share. Thank you and be well!
Would you smoke a cigarette in a classroom? Of course not! Vaping is essentially the same thing. Two high school students, Alyssa Harmon and Imelda Dominguez discuss what it is like to be a youth during the vaping epidemic.