Robust plan to address youth vaping includes national awareness campaign with the Ad Council, Vape-Free Schools Initiative, advocacy measures, groundbreaking research
CHICAGO, Sept. 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- More than one in four high school students use e-cigarettes, setting them up for a lifetime of addiction. In fact, the U.S. Surgeon General has classified this increase in youth vaping "an epidemic." As kids head back to school, whether in-person or virtually, many will experience social pressure to vape. Others may begin vaping in response to the trigger of stress, including stress related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Vaping exposes kids to harmful chemicals, damaging developing lungs and may even place them at greater risk for severe COVID-19 complications. Now, when protecting lung health is more important than ever, the American Lung Association has announced a broad plan to end youth vaping. Experience the interactive Multichannel News Release here: https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8767151-ad-council-american-lung-association-end-youth-vaping/ The American Lung Association's plan to end youth vaping encompasses education, advocacy and research, and has four components:
"Youth vaping has skyrocketed, placing our children at risk of a lifetime of tobacco addiction and harm to developing lungs and overall health," said American Lung Association President and CEO Harold Wimmer. "We want to support students, parents and schools who are dealing with this rise in teen and tween vaping. The American Lung Association is leading a response to this public health crisis with a comprehensive plan and proven approaches to ensure a vape-free future for our kids." Education and Awareness Tools Created pro bono by advertising agency Hill Holliday, the campaign aims to serve as a wake-up call to parents of 10- to 14-year-olds to the dangers of vaping and encourage ongoing and effective conversations with their children to prevent them from starting to use e-cigarettes. To provide parents with a simple roadmap to having the conversation with their kids, "Get Your Head Out of the Cloud" includes free educational resources and guides, conversation starters and facts about vaping at TalkAboutVaping.org. "We know there is a serious knowledge gap among parents about the dangers and prevalence of youth vaping throughout the country – many are confused about the risks and unaware that nearly 8,000 kids start vaping every day," said Ad Council President and CEO Lisa Sherman. "We're proud to join with our long-time partners at the American Lung Association to provide tools, resources and education to help put an end to the youth vaping epidemic." Video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/ltOwDGw_mIg Accompanying the PSA and website resources, celebrities including Alysia Reiner, Marlee Matlin and Rosie Mercado have joined "Get Your Head Out of the Cloud," lending their support to educating other parents about the risks of youth vaping and the importance of ongoing conversations with their children about the issue. Vape-Free School initiative Advocacy for Lung Health Research to Combat Vaping-Related Lung Damage The Lung Association is funding several independent investigator research projects that will study the impact of vaping on lung health and examine how to reduce adolescent vaping and smoking of both tobacco and cannabis products. In addition, the organization is also partnering with Northwestern Medicine in a $25 million National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded grant to study the longitudinal lung health of millennials, including the long-term impact of vaping. Through an additional and unique partnership with NIH's National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, the Lung Association will enhance the study's capacity to examine early lung injuries related to vaping. For more information about the American Lung Association's work to end youth vaping, visit Lung.org/end-youth-vaping. Journalists seeking to schedule a media interview with lung health and tobacco experts may contact Stephanie Goldina at Media@Lung.org or 312-801-7629. About the American Lung Association About the Ad Council
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SOURCE American Lung Association and the Ad Council |