Southern 7 Health Department educating teens about vaping prevention | News

SOUTHERN ILLINOIS — The Southern 7 Health Department is trying to strengthen vaping prevention education for teenagers.

According to a news release from S7HD, they are working closely with regional schools, businesses, and other to provide resources and community support designed to reach teen users.

Through the health department’s “CATCH My Breath” vaping prevention program, students and staff will learn about e-cigarettes, vaping hazards, and how to quit if that’s their choice.

S7HD says despite the decline in youth e-cigarette use since 2019, vaping remains a serious public health problem for teens. According to the 2023 National Youth Tobacco Survey, more than 2.1 million kids used e-cigarettes in 2023 in the United States. Of those 2.1 million, nearly 40% of high schoolers vaped at least 20 days a month, and nearly 30% reported vaping every day. S7HD says this is a sign that they’re becoming addicted.

Sydney Shelton, a S7HD health educator, says they get requests for their vaping prevention curriculum almost weekly. “We are seeing the dangers on an intimate scale, where not only teachers, but principles, superintendents, and even parents are concerned.”

The biggest challenge S7HD’s educators have been facing is the myth that vaping is a healthier alternative to regular cigarettes and can help someone stop smoking. In reality, some studies have shown that e-cigarettes are more addictive due to their higher concentration of nicotine and simpler use compared to cigarettes.

“One of the most hazardous aspects of e-cigarettes is that they are still so new that scientists have no clue what the long-term effects will be,” said Shelton. “It’s scary and you’d think that would be enough for people to stop using them.”

S7HD uses the Illinois Tobacco Quitline, a partnership between the Illinois Department of Health, the Tobacco Control Program, and the American Lung Association, to help users 13 and older to stop vaping.

You can access the Illinois Tobacco Quitline for free and anonymously by calling 866-784-8937 or by visiting their website.

To find out more about the “CATCH my Breath” vaping prevention program visit S7HD’s website to listen to the Say “Yes” to No Vaping podcast or call 618-634-2297.