The New York State Department of Health has launched a new campaign for youth, Nicotine Equals, which focuses on raising awareness about the harms of nicotine use, specifically through e-cigarette use and vaping, among youth. The campaign highlights the addictiveness of nicotine and its effects on the developing adolescent brain and dispels the myth that e-cigarettes are a safe nicotine product.
“Nicotine use poses unique dangers to youth because their brains are still developing, and exposure during adolescence can have long-lasting effects. It can harm areas of the brain that control attention, learning, mood, and impulse control, and may increase the risk of addiction to other substances later in life,” State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said. “Since most tobacco use begins before the age of 18, preventing young people from ever trying these dangerously addictive products is essential to creating a generation of tobacco-free adults.The Department remains committed to decreasing vaping among young people and protecting youth from the dangers of tobacco, in any form.”
In a national survey, middle school and high school students said their reasons for first trying an e-cigarette were a friend using them and curiosity. Among youth who continue to vape, their most common reasons for using e-cigarettes are that they feel anxious, stressed, or depressed, or to get a high or buzz from the nicotine.
E-cigarettes are by far the most used tobacco product by youth in New York State. Among high school students in the state, nearly one in five (18.7 percent) reported vaping nicotine e-cigarette use compared to a record low of about one in 50 (2.1 percent) who reported smoking cigarettes in 2022. Most youth who use e-cigarettes are using flavored products. E-cigarette manufacturers’ marketing and design tactics have made these products particularly appealing and highly addictive to youth. Research indicates that youth who vape are at an increased risk of transitioning to cigarette smoking in the future, with studies showing that nicotine exposure from e-cigarettes can prime the brain for dependence on other tobacco products.
Mass media campaigns are a proven, cost-effective intervention for reducing youth tobacco initiation by changing attitudes and behaviors through impactful, large-scale communications. Along with the campaign, the Department has created initiatives to help young people quit using e-cigarettes.
The Department and the New York State Education Department have provided youth with materials that inform them about free services available to help them successfully quit vaping. The Department developed posters, palm cards, and rack cards for middle schools and high schools/young adults, and youth-serving organizations in both English and Spanish, to promote a youth-focused, free, and confidential text-based service and the New York State Quitline.
DROPTHEVAPE is New York State’s opt-in phrase for This is Quitting, a vape cessation service designed by the Truth Initiative specifically for young people aged 13-24. People interested in the free service can join by texting DROPTHEVAPE to 88709.
The messages show the benefits and challenges of quitting, to help young people feel motivated, inspired, and supported throughout their quitting process. To date, the service has helped nearly 5,000 New York young people on their journey to quit vaping.
New York State has been a leader in implementing policies to curb youth tobacco and e-cigarette use, including raising the minimum legal sales age for tobacco and e-cigarette products to 21 and banning the sale of flavored tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, in 2020. These measures have contributed to reduced youth access to and use of these harmful products, but education is key to ensuring long-term prevention.
As the Department’s Tobacco Control Program marks its 25th anniversary since its official establishment by state law in 2000, this campaign, the program’s first mass media campaign aimed at preventing youth e-cigarette use, reflects the evolving nature of tobacco control. Over the years, the landscape of tobacco products has shifted dramatically, with youth vaping emerging as a critical public health challenge. The Department remains dedicated to ending the use of e-cigarettes and all tobacco products among all young people across New York State.
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