It’s not YOU. It’s them.
- Did you know that vapes are designed to keep you coming back for more nicotine?
- Are you tired of vapes controlling your life?
- Did you know that 90% of young people who quit vaping feel better—less stressed, anxious, or depressed?
- Many people who quit have more energy and start saving their money for things that bring them real joy.
So, if you’re ready to quit vaping, we’ve got you.
TEENS
You came here for tips. So, we’ve got tips.
Check out these links with quick tips for teens on what to expect when quitting. Talk to your parents or a trusted adult, too. Let them know we even have a resource section just for them-- your Support Circle.
- Tips to help teens quit for good (Stanford Tobacco Prevention Toolkit)
- Tips on managing stress and anxiety (Smokefreeteen.gov)
Find out more about vapes -- like what they do to your mental and physical health.
When you know more about the chemicals you are inhaling, how companies are targeting teens to use their products, or the mental health connections to vaping, it helps you to make the right decisions for your health, wallet and wellness.
- Health Effects About Vaping (CDC)
- Mental Health and Vaping Infographic (Truth Initiative)
- Colliding Crises of Youth Mental Health and Nicotine Use (Truth Initiative)
- There is No Safe or Safer Tobacco Product (Smokefreeteen.gov)
- Health risks and the role big tobacco has played to get kids hooked on nicotine (Rethink Vape)
You don’t have to do this alone. There is free help.
Nicotine is a strong addiction. Making the choice to quit is amazing, but getting the right support is even better. Check out a cessation program designed to help teens quit vaping. These coaches are trained specifically to help young people—like you—to quit for good.
- Quit Now Virginia Online Coaching: Contact the Quit Now Virginia Quit Coaches online and they’ll enroll you in a texting program just for teens.
- This is Quitting – Text DitchVape to 88709 or visit https://thisisquitting.com/
YOUNG ADULTS
Find YOUR reason to quit and put together a plan to quit for good.
Are you noticing that you crave nicotine all day long? Trying to save money? Breathing heavier when you work out or go up the steps? Notice that your anxiety is worse with vaping? Quit Coaches can help you build off that reason to quit and design a plan to quit for good.
- Quit Now Virginia - Text READY to 34191 to sign up today. You can also call 1-800-QUIT NOW or visit Quit Now Virginia Online Coaching. Once you sign up and touch base with a coach, ask for the texting support. Free nicotine patches or gum may be available, too, if eligible and while supplies last.
- This is Quitting – Text DitchVape to 88709 or visit https://thisisquitting.com/
Do your homework before your quit day.
The Quit Coaches will walk you through some of this, but reading tips on your own time can also help to better prepare you for the Quit Day.
- 5 Tips for Handling Quitting Nicotine (Truth Initiative)
- Vaping Addiction and Nicotine Withdrawal (Smokefree.gov)
Get curious about the facts about vaping.
Did you know 90 % of young people who quit vaping feel better—less stressed, anxious, or depressed? If you are concerned about mental health or concerned about clean air or the environment, learn more about how vaping is connected to all of these.
- Health Effects About Vaping (CDC)
- Vaping Nicotine and Mental Health Infographic (Truth Initiative)
- The Colliding Crises of Youth Mental Health and Nicotine Use (Truth Initiative)
- The New American Addiction: How JUUL hooked kids and ignited a public health crisis (Time Magazine, September 19, 2019)
- A toxic, plastic problem: E-cigarette waste and the environment (Truth Initiative)
SUPPORT CIRCLE
Parents, Guardians, Teachers, Coaches, Health Care Providers and all trusted adults who desire to help.
Know the products. Know the risks.
Nicotine is a true addiction that may feel good to young people when they use it but nicotine has been shown to have lasting negative effects on learning, memory, and concentration. Vaping nicotine can also intensify symptoms of depression and anxiety and increase stress levels.
Because their brains are still developing, young people have a higher risk of becoming addicted to the nicotine in tobacco products than adults.
- Learn the basics about vaping (CDC)
- Physical health risks of youth vaping(CDC)
- Mental health risks connected to youth vaping (Truth Initiative)
- Take a deeper dive to learn even more (HHS)
Have open and honest conversations with your child.
Before you even sit down with your child or the young adult who you want to quit vaping, get talking points for HOW to have the talk.
- Quick Tips for Having Conversations About Vaping (Truth Initiative)
- Conversation Guide to Talking to Youth (CDC)
- Tips if Your Child Doesn’t Want to Quit Vaping (Truth Initiative)
- How to Talk about Vaping Discussion Guide (RVO Health)
Share free resources to help them quit.
Popular vapes right now have high amounts of nicotine. A growing adolescent brain is more susceptible to nicotine addiction. There are several free resources so you don't have to tackle this issue by yourself.
- Connect your child to free cessation programs led by Quit Coaches who have been trained on how to work with young people to help them quit vaping, smoking or using any type of nicotine product.
- This is Quitting – Text DitchVape to 88709 or visit ThisIsQuitting.com.
- Quit Now Virginia - They can Text READY to 34919 or visit QuitNowVirginia.org to sign up today.
- Talk to your child’s healthcare provider for advice on quitting, including whether quit smoking medications (also called Nicotine Replacement Therapy) may help your child.
- Free help is available to support the Support Circle, too! YOU can also contact the same coaches for tips on talking to the youth or young adults in your life about vaping.
- This is Quitting’s program for parents/guardians: Text QUIT to 847-278-9715.
- Quit Now Virginia - Call 1-800-QUIT NOW or visit QuitNowVirginia.org.
Set a good example for youth by being tobacco-free.
If you use tobacco, it's never too late to quit. There are physical and mental health benefits for adults of all ages when they quit using tobacco and nicotine products. If you aren't quite ready to quit or if you are in the process of quitting, make your home smokefree and tobacco free. This protects your child from being exposed to secondhand smoke or aerosol from any tobacco products, including vapes.
For free help in quitting, visit Quit Now Virginia Online Coaching or call 1-800-QUIT-NOW.
BONUS TIPS FOR TEACHERS AND EDUCATORS
Check out existing tobacco prevention and cessation toolkits and presentations.
- Tobacco Prevention Toolkit (Stanford) includes presentations, talking points and kahoots (tobacco, e-cigarettes and cannabis toolkits)
- Tobacco Education Resource Library (FDA) Lesson plans and classroom materials.
- Empower Vape Free Youth (CDC) has factsheets and videos for educators to help students avoid or quit vaping
- Tobacco and Nicotine Use Among Youth: A Toolkit for adults (Tobacco Free Community Coalition in Charlottesville)
Learn more about how to communicate and enforce your school’s policy.
There are toolkits and resources for schools with information on communicating and enforcing your school's policy. Consider advocating for alternative to suspension policies in your school district to help students who are addicted to nicotine products.
- 24/7 Campaign – Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth Initiative to help all schools in Virginia create comprehensive tobacco-free policies. 247campaignva.com
- Tobacco Free Schools Toolkit (American Heart Association)
- Alternative to Suspension Measures (Public Health Law Center)
Research which prevention and cessation programs are a good fit for your school.
Vaping: Know the Truth – Truth Initiative A youth vaping prevention curriculum to educate students (grades 8-12) about the dangers of ecigarette use. truthinitiative.org/curriculum
Nicotine Products Prevention Modules – Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth These modules provide prevention education to youth from sixth to twelfth grade about products that contain nicotine like cigarettes, e-cigarettes, and more. vfhy.org/programs/tobacco/nicotine-products-prevention-modules
Find a longer list of programs check out the Tobacco and Nicotine Use Among Youth: A Toolkit for Adults (Tobacco Free Community Coalition in Charlottesville)
BONUS TIPS FOR HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS
Check out vaping resources specifically for healthcare providers.
The American Academy of Pediatrics has a site, app, toolkit and webinars to help medical providers prevent and treat tobacco use. Check out the Youth Act-Counsel-Treat Flowchart.
EVMS’s AVERT Tool – Assessing Vaping Exposure Risk for Teens --will be able to assess teens’ level of risk for vaping use and addiction.
DSHS Texas Tobacco Control Program recently released a comprehensive toolkit: Reducing E-Cigarette Use Among Youth and Young Adults Toolkit for Health Care Providers
Stay up to date on the health risks of vaping.
- Health Effects of Vaping Smoking and Tobacco Use | CDC
- Talk About Vaping (ALA)
- NRT and Adolescents Pediatrician Guidance (AAP)
- Vaping Lingo Dictionary (Truth Initiative)
Connect your patients and their guardians to quit resources.
Share facts about nicotine addiction and discuss whether Nicotine Replacement Therapy is right for them. Connect them to free cessation resources.
Sign up as a Quit Now Virginia E-Referral Site, an evidence-based service to proactively connect your patients and their parents/guardians to the free Quit Now Virginia resources. Take the Quit Now Virginia Online Provider Training for 1.00 CME (reviewed by AAFP).
Request free Quit Now Virginia materials. Share contact information for Quit Now Virginia. They can Text READY to 34919 to sign up today. They can also call 1-800-QUIT NOW or visit QuitNowVirginia.org.
Share information about This is Quitting – They can text DitchVape to 88709 or visit ThisIsQuitting.com.