National Great American Smoke Out Day

Tomorrow, November 17, is the Great American Smoke Out. Each year the American Cancer Society challenges smokers to give up cigarettes, vaping or e-cigarettes. The day is meant to encourage people to quit smoking tobacco and start the journey toward a healthy lifestyle.

Sadly, e-cigarette use among teens is on the rise.  According to the CDC, in 2021, about one out of every 35 middle school students, and about one of every nine high school students reported that they had used electronic cigarettes in the past 30 days.

The adolescent brain is still developing, and nicotine affects the brain’s emotional and cognitive functions. Research suggests that the nicotine-related changes in the brain during adolescence may perpetuate continued tobacco use into adulthood. These changes could also contribute to a higher rate of other substance use disorders among people who use tobacco during adolescence.

It is vital that we talk to today’s youth about the real dangers of smoking and vaping. The Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey’s (PDFNJ), vaping awareness campaign was launched in 2020 in collaboration with the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General to shine a light on the dangers of vaping.  Please visit PDFNJ’s Awareness Toolkit to easily download the campaign images, which can also be customized for your organization’s needs to help you in spreading anti-vaping messages to your community.

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