Health Unit Encourages Students to Join the ‘Break the Vape’ Challenge

To raise youth awareness of the health effects of vaping, the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit (WECHU) has launched the Break the Vape Challenge. The Break the Vape Challenge is a Public Service Announcement (PSA) video contest. The WECHU encourages local students in grades 6 to 12 to use their voices to raise awareness about the dangers of vaping and to expose the sneaky marketing tactics of the tobacco industry.

Until March 8, 2024, students are challenged to create and upload a 30-second PSA video. Videos can be submitted in English or French and should include one Break the Vape Fact and Call to Action, which are available on the Break the Vape webpage. Video submissions will be reviewed, and youth judges will select the top 5 videos from each division (Grade 6 to 8 and Grade 9 to 12). Starting April 15, the public will have a chance to vote for the winners. Prizes will be awarded for the top voted videos and to the publicly funded schools with the highest participation rates.

Over the past few decades, there has been a decline in the number of young Canadians smoking cigarettes and using tobacco products. The emergence of vapour products has caused a shift in the types of nicotine products young people are using, putting them at risk of becoming addicted to nicotine. The industry targets youth with appealing flavours, packaging, and devices. Vapour products are the most used nicotine product among youth. The use of nicotine before age 25 can impact learning, memory, attention, and increase the risk for addiction to other substances.

Kristy McBeth, Director of Public Health Programs, says that young people are often unaware of the health effects of vapour products and nicotine. “Participating in the Break the Vape Challenge encourages students to use their creative skills to develop messaging from youth for youth. This youth engagement approach has been shown to resonate with their peers, parents, and the community, increasing awareness of the dangers of youth vaping.”

For more information, visit the Break the Vape Challenge website and follow the Health Unit on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for challenge updates.

Key Facts

• Video submissions are accepted until March 8, 2024.
• Windsor-Essex students in grades 6 to 12 are eligible to participate.
• The public will be able to vote on the top videos starting April 15, 2024.
• Prizes will be awarded for the top videos among elementary students (grade 6 to 8) and secondary students (grade 9 – 12) as well as the publicly funded schools with the most participation.