Ir al contenido principal
  • Español
American Heart Association Go Red for Women
American Heart Association Go Red For Women
  • Ataques cardíacos y síntomas de ACV en mujeres
  • Voluntario/a
  • TIENDA
  • DONAR AHORA
  • DONAR
  • site search Buscar
    Buscar
  • Las cardiopatías en las mujeres
  • Conozca su riesgo
  • Vida saludable
  • Etapas de la vida
  • Involúcrese
  • Acerca de nosotros
  • En su comunidad
  • Signos de alarma
  • Voluntario/a
  • TIENDA
    • English
    • Español

The fight against youth vaping: Programs, research and school strategies

The fight against youth vaping: Programs, research and school strategies
(TomFoldes, iStock via Getty Images)

As we head into another school year, educators and health experts are ramping up for the latest round in the fight against vaping. Over the last few years, they’ve made headway on the issue, but research continues to uncover vaping’s ill effects.

After decades of progress in reducing cigarette smoking among young people, research suggests that teens who vape may smoke later. According to a scientific statement from the American Heart Association, using e-cigarettes can raise your chances of getting asthma. Vaping can also lead to lung problems, make arteries harden, increase blood pressure and cause trouble sleeping. Just being near someone who is vaping and breathing in the aerosol they produce could also be dangerous.

Studies reveal that vaping is pervasive in a young person’s surroundings. According to a 2021 CDC survey, almost 60% of middle and high school students in the U.S. said they first tried e-cigarettes because they saw a friend using them. Most young people got e-cigarettes from friends, with family members also being a frequent source.

In addition, the FDA’s 2023 National Youth Tobacco Survey reported 2.13 million middle and high school students using e-cigarettes.

A constellation of efforts

Since 2018, the FDA has been working to lower e-cigarette use among young people through its public education efforts. Their Real Cost E-Cigarette Prevention Campaign uses different media – such as TV, digital platforms, social media and gaming – to reach teens. The campaign provides tools to help quit and offers educational materials through partnerships with organizations such as the National Cancer Institute and the Vaping Prevention and Education Resource Center. They use research to improve their strategies and track their effectiveness, with recent data showing that 67% of teens saw at least one ad and 37% recognized the campaign.

Several other national anti-vaping programs are showing promising results in research. These include:

  • smokeSCREEN: This video game teaches kids about the dangers of e-cigarettes and other tobacco products, aiming to help them avoid using these products altogether. Researchers at Yale University created it.
  • This is Quitting: This program sends automated daily text messages to people ages 13 through 24, featuring advice and encouragement from peers who have tried or successfully quit using e-cigarettes. It was developed by the public health nonprofit Truth Initiative.
  • CATCH My Breath: Developed at the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston, CATCH My Breath offers educational resources for parents and classrooms. These include group discussions, goal setting, and activities. The program also provides schools with digital materials, such as teaching guides, presentations and posters tailored to different age groups, some of which are free and others available for purchase.

Meanwhile, the American Heart Association is funding up to $20 million for research on e-cigarettes’ effects on youth, aiming to address the growing nicotine addiction problem among children and teens. Key research projects include interventions for e-cigarette use, studying health impacts and developing new cessation programs to help young people quit vaping.

Boston University’s Rapidly Advancing Discovery to Arrest the Outbreak of Youth Vaping Center is developing and testing a virtual reality program to help high school students quit or avoid vaping. Led by principal investigator Belinda Borrelli, the team uses student feedback on current cessation programs to create an engaging virtual reality intervention that schools can implement. She says, "We need to think about overall public health strategies for regulation that are going to reduce combustible cigarette use as the No. 1 goal and limit or stop [all nicotine product use].”

Teaching through support

Meanwhile, schools are starting to shift their approach to nipping nicotine use in the bud. Jackie Michalski, class assistant principal at Shenendehowa High School East in Clifton Park, New York, and her team have been working to educate students and parents about the risks of e-cigarettes and tobacco.

The school shifted its approach for students caught vaping from punishment to support. Instead of a one-day suspension, the school refers students to counselors who help them understand the addictive nature of vaping and develop strategies to quit. “The counselors are part of the team approach we have,” Michalski said.

Shenendehowa High also piloted a program in which students caught vaping read articles and wrote essays on vaping’s risks to foster behavioral change. They also hosted informational sessions aimed at helping parents spot signs of vaping, such as increased thirst, nosebleeds and unusual scents.

While educators, researchers, health experts and advocates have made big strides in raising awareness and developing innovative prevention programs, the fight against vaping is far from over. By combining effective prevention strategies, comprehensive support systems and ongoing research, we can work towards turning the tide on this critical public health challenge.


X formerly known as Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Email Print

Beyond the Table

Beyond the Table
  • Stories
    • Sepsis is a serious but misunderstood heart threat
    • 10,000 steps a day: Uncovering the origin behind the popular walking goal
    • AED: a crucial tool in cardiac arrest
    • Beat the heat: Strategies to protect your heart and brain
    • Benefits of losing weight may abide even if pounds return
    • Cuff size matters in blood pressure readings
    • Do this and ward off both breast cancer and heart disease
    • Don’t ignore the quality of relationships when considering the link between good health and marriage
    • Eat healthier in 2023
    • Embrace the holiday spirit with these simple wellness strategies
    • Essential vitamins and minerals during pregnancy linked to reduced risk of high blood pressure
    • Expert tips to help avoid holiday stress and stay healthy
    • It’s American Heart Month: What every woman should know about heart health
    • Fish oil supplements may be more popular than beneficial
    • Healthy substitutions elevate holiday drinks
    • High blood pressure during pregnancy poses risks for mother and child
    • Secondhand smoke worse for children than many people think
    • How the Body Roundness Index offers new insights into cardiovascular risk
    • How to fit walking into any schedule
    • Is winter dehydration sneaking up on you?
    • It’s American Heart Month: What every woman should know about heart health
    • It's never too early for a healthy diet
    • Learn CPR and be prepared to save a life anywhere
    • Less salt leads the changes in school lunches
    • Let music step up your exercise program
    • Lifestyle changes key to reducing increased risks for heart disease as women age
    • Millions of U.S. households with children affected by food insecurity, survey finds
    • Nearly 1 in 4 young U.S. adults
    • Not just extra calories: Sugary drinks may boost risk of heart disease
    • Research confirms link between early menopause, higher ischemic stroke risk
    • Secondhand smoke worse for children than many people think
    • Sip and snack: The best foods to boost your hydration
    • Spring into a new exercise routine
    • Spring into better health
    • Study narrows focus on pregnancy complications and stroke
    • Study reveals lower cardiac rehabilitation attendance among Asian, Black and Hispanic adults
    • Not just extra calories: Sugary drinks may boost risk of heart disease
    • Summer boredom can spark creativity and learning through play in kids
    • Teens targeted by e-cig industry on new path to nicotine addiction
    • The fight against youth vaping: Programs, research and school strategies
    • There's a gender split in mini-stroke diagnosis
    • This volunteer does better by doing good
    • Understanding seasonal depression and how to cope with it
    • Weigh the benefits of a regular bedtime
    • What people with heart conditions should know now about COVID-19
    • Lend an ear: Why corn on the cob belongs at your cookout
    • Women and men are (not quite) equals on heart transplants
    • Prioritizing care for others, women often neglect their own health
    • Women's quality of life after stroke is worse than men — age may be a major factor.

CVS Health es un orgulloso promotor nacional del movimiento Go Red For Women de la American Heart Association.
Goredforwomen.org/es es posible gracias al generoso apoyo del Fondo Adriana Gallardo Legacy para la salud de la mujer.

* La American Heart Association revisó y aprobó toda la información médica y de salud de este sitio web conforme a investigaciones científicas y a las directrices de la American Heart Association. Obtenga más información sobre nuestro proceso editorial de contenido.

American Heart Association

National Center
7272 Greenville Ave.
Dallas, TX 75231

Customer Service
1-800-AHA-USA-1
1-800-242-8721

Contact Us

Hours
Monday - Friday: 7 a.m. – 7 p.m. CT 
Saturday: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. CT
Closed on Sundays

Tax Identification Number
13-5613797

Acerca de nosotros

  • Acerca de la AHA/ASA
  • Informe anual
  • Información financiera de la AHA
  • Carreras
  • Programas internacionales
  • Últimas noticias sobre salud cardíaca y derrames cerebrales
  • Sala de prensa de la AHA/ASA

Involúcrese

  • Donar ahora
  • Haga un regalo conmemorativo
  • Defensa
  • Distintas formas de donar
  • Voluntario/a
  • ShopHeart
  • ShopCPR

Nuestros centros

  • American Heart Association
  • American Stroke Association
  • RCP y ACE
  • Noticias sobre salud cardíaca para profesionales
  • Más sitios
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Threads
  • X formerly known as Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Tik Tok
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • National Health Council
  • Better Business Bureau Accredited Charity
  • Charity Navigator
  • Secured by Sectigo
×
American Heart Association

Estevínculo solo se proporciona para mayor conveniencia y no constituye una aprobación de la entidad vinculada ni de ningún producto o servicio.

Continuar
  • Carreras profesionales en la AHA
  • Política de privacidad
  • Renuncia de responsabilidad de recomendaciones médicas
  • Declaración de accesibilidad
  • Política de derechos de autor
  • Política de ética
  • Política sobre conflictos de intereses
  • Política de enlaces
  • Whistleblower Policy
  • Pautas de contenido editorial
  • Proveedores
  • Avisos de recaudación de fondos estatales


©2025 American Heart Association, Inc. All rights reserved. Unauthorized use prohibited.
The American Heart Association is a qualified 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization.
*Red Dress ™ DHHS, Go Red ™ AHA ; National Wear Red Day® is a registered trademark.