VAPING/SUBSTANCE ABUSE: What you should know

Resources for the fight against vaping and e-cigarette use

Arm yourself with the facts and statistics necessary to face the latest youth health epidemic. 
 
“Scroll through this page to find information and resources regarding: 
  • General Vaping Resources and Information
  • For Parents and Educators
  • For Teens Wanting to Quit
  • Dr. Ruth Potee and Teen Brain Development”

GENERAL RESOURCES

What are the long term effects of vaping? Vaping surged among young people — many of whom never smoked cigarettes — growing 78% among high school students and 48% among middle school students in just one year, from 2017 to 2018, reaching epidemic proportions. JUUL, which accounts for three-quarters of the U.S. e-cigarette market, is driving the epidemic and has some of the highest nicotine content available among e-cigarettes. Read more at The Truth Initiative

FDA Notices

VIDEOS:

The New Look of Nicotine Addiction is a MA Department of Public Health (DPH) 2 minute video to educate parents about the harms of vaping.
Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. Tobacco-Free Kids partnered with Michael Bloomberg for a new $160 million initiative called Protect Kids: Fight Flavored E-Cigs. The video features a Boston physician, Milton High School Principal and a previous Holbrook Middle/High School student. 

WEBSITES:

Parents Against Vaping: Excellent overview and TOOLKIT about vaping

Make Smoking History; Dangers of Vaping: MA Department of Public Health

Emerging Tobacco Products; Truth Initiative, Inspiring Tobacco Free Lives;

Basic Information and E-Cigarettes, CDC, (Centers for Disease Control)

Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids

Drug Facts and E-Cigarettes; National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA),

FOR PARENTS AND EDUCATORS

A Tip Sheet for Talking to Your Teen about E-Cigarettes (CDC, good conversation starters and tips)
 
Resources for Teachers; FDA-Scholastic Partnership
 
Tobacco Prevention Toolkit on E-Cigarettes and Vape Pens; Stanford Medicine

FOR TEENS TRYING TO QUIT

  • Call your child’s school nurse or adjustment counselor for assistance.They will be happy to assist you. Haverhill High School 978-374-5734; or Consentino 978-374-5775, Hunking 978-374-5787 x101, Nettle (978) 374-5792, Tilton Upper 978-374-3482, or J.G. Whittier 978-374-5782.
  • To get started, text “VapeFreeMass” to 88709, In partnership with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, This is Quitting (powered by truth®), is a free and confidential texting program for young people who vape.
  • My Life, My Quit TM has youth coach specialists trained to help young people by phone or text. Young people can call or text “Start My Quit” to 855-891-9989 for free and confidential help or visit mylifemyquit.com to sign up online.
  • Visit teen.smokefree.gov for tools and tips.
  • How to Quit Vaping, Become a Smoke Free Teen

DR. RUTH POTEE ON TWEEN & TEEN BRAIN DEVELOPMENT

On March 2, 2016, Dr. Ruth Potee presented to Newburyport parents and the community on:Under Construction: What Every Parent Must Know about Tween and Teen Brain Development
Dr. Potee’s expertise in this area and the impact on teenage risk taking, including alcohol and substance abuse, has been featured nationally. A dynamic speaker, Dr. Potee blends scientific research with hands on understanding of the challenges of raising healthy teens. She provided the community with some guidance documents. You can view each of these by simply clicking on the title to open the document.
A video of a presentation by Dr. Potee is also available for your viewing below.