Breaking the Cycle: How We Can Help Youth Quit Vaping Before It’s Too Late

I am writing about my concern about the youth vaping epidemic that is present within our community and schools. I currently am an advocate for youth tobacco prevention within Logan County, and the problem only seems to continue to get worse. From 2016 to 2019, tobacco use among middle school and high school students rose by 88%, according to the Ohio Department of Health (ODH). Around 1 in 5 high schoolers vape, accounting for a 52% increase from years prior. The increase in middle schoolers who vape is even more

significant at a 125% increase from years prior, according to ODH.

Most youths wind up with vapes or other tobacco products from other people who can legally buy them. The rise of online marketplaces also makes it very easy to skirt age-verification measures, allowing youth to quickly and easily get their hands on tobacco products before the age of 21.

There are many reasons for this trend. The human brain does not fully develop until age 25, making quitting harder for young people. Using nicotine in adolescence can harm the parts of the brain that control attention, learning, mood, and impulse control. The concentration of nicotine in a vape, on average, is equivalent to around 20 cigarettes. This concentration, in combination with the still-developing brain, is why it is just as hard for a 17-year-old to quit vaping as a 50-year-old who has been smoking cigarettes for decades.

With the rise of the vaping epidemic, another epidemic has become a focus within the youth population as well. This epidemic is one regarding mental health. According to the Truth Initiative, since 2020, youth experiencing anxiety or depression have doubled along with the amount of middle and high schoolers who use tobacco products. This combination, along with the COVID-19 pandemic, has created the perfect storm for addiction and dependence on vapes and other tobacco products.

Many start because they think vapes are healthier than cigarettes. While the side effects may be slightly different, and vapors look cleaner than the tar and smoke produced by traditional cigarettes, chemicals such as formaldehyde, arsenic, nickel, and lead can be much more harmful to your lungs than you think. This, along with the higher concentration of nicotine, the addictive component of vapes, causes a very deadly combination for our youth that is concerning.

I am unsure if many are aware of this, so I am writing to inform you of the My Life, My Quit service offered in Ohio. It is a free and fully confidential program that provides tobacco cessation resources to youth, including one-on-one coaching from cessation counselors who specialize in youth nicotine addiction. Those interested can text “Start My Quit” to 36072 or visit oh.mylifemyquit.org to start receiving tobacco cessation products and counseling. If you know a young person who might want help putting down their vape, don’t hesitate to pass this info along to them. While we’re on the subject, the best way to teach good health behaviors is to model them. Parents who smoke or vape could pledge to quit along with their kids by utilizing The Ohio Tobacco Quit Line – a tobacco cessation service for adults that provides not only one-on-one cessation coaching plus free nicotine replacement products like gums, patches, and lozenges.

In closing; I hope that over time, and with more awareness, we can begin decreasing the number of youths using tobacco products and build a healthier community.

Sincerely,
Gavin- A Concerned Citizen & Prevention Professional