Colorado Schools to Receive $11.4 Million for Youth Vaping Prevention

Colorado schools are poised to receive $11.4 million to combat the youth vaping crisis. The funding comes from a settlement between the state attorney general’s office and e-cigarette manufacturer Juul Labs, Inc. 

“Colorado has a youth mental health crisis that has fueled a vaping epidemic,” said Attorney General Phil Wieser in a press release. “These funds will support solutions and preventive measures that will help our children to make informed and better decisions about their health and wellbeing.” 

The deal ends a lawsuit Weiser’s office filed against Juul in 2020 for targeting young people in its marketing and misleading them about the health dangers of using its products. Juul settled with Colorado, along with several other states that joined the effort, in 2023 for $462 million. Colorado’s share was $31.7 million.

The Colorado Department of Law and the Colorado Department of Education will disburse $3.8 million annually to local K-12 education providers beginning next school year and ending in 2027. Weiser said his office is excited about the partnership and for the opportunity to ensure all Colorado schools can access and invest these funds.

“The new Vaping Education Prevention Grant provides much-needed resources for our school districts and boards of cooperative educational services to support students in learning about making healthy and responsible choices,” said Colorado Education Commissioner Susana Córdova.

According to a press release from the Colorado Attorney General’s office, schools receiving the grant must incorporate all or some of the following criteria:

• Address the youth vaping crisis through education, prevention, and treatment
• Provide professional development opportunities for school staff 
• Increase family and community involvement in promoting healthy lifestyles and choices for students
• Include activities and programming that incorporate youth voices and are culturally responsive.
• Adopt or enhance comprehensive vaping and drug prevention policies that include ENDS and move towards student-centered alternatives to suspension approaches.

Colorado teen vaping rates

According to the 2021 Healthy Kids Colorado Survey, the latest year data is available, 16% of Colorado youth report using a vape daily. This percentage significantly decreased from 2019, when 26% of Colorado youth reported daily vaping. The portion of youth who said they’d ever vaped decreased from 46% in 2019 to 30% in 2021. 

Despite some positive downward trends in youth vaping, the percentage of youth who tried vaping before the age of 13 rose from 13% in 2019 to 22% in 2021 and the percentage of students who use vape products because they are flavored increased to 23%.

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment conducts the Healthy Kids Colorado Survey in the Fall of odd-numbered years. The 2023 Healthy Kids Colorado Survey results will be available this summer.

“Youth vaping is a concerning issue,” said Chelsea Andrews, CDPHE’s tobacco communications specialist. “CDPHE is actively supporting communities in their efforts to limit children’s and youth’s exposure to tobacco advertising and access to tobacco through its State Tobacco Education and Prevention Partnership grant program.”

Andrews said the department encourages parents and trusted adults to discuss vaping with young people. More information about how to start these conversations is available at https://www.tobaccofreeco.org/.   

In addition, Andrews said that young people between ages 12 and 17 can access free, confidential support to quit smoking or vaping by texting “Start My Quit” to 36072 or visiting www.mylifemyquit.org for more information.

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