New text line intended to help teens quit vaping
For the City Times
PORTAGE COUNTY – Free help is now available for teens who want to quit vaping through the Live Vape Free Text Line. Teens can access the service by texting “VAPEFREE” to the number 873373. Ads promoting the text line are running on popular social media networks like Snapchat and TikTok until the end of March.
In Wisconsin, close to half (45.5% percent) of high school students have tried vaping (2019 Youth Risk Behavior Survey). Results from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey implemented in Portage County schools in the fall of 2021 will be available soon and will provide insight on how these trends have changed over the past 3 years. According to the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nicotine is highly addictive and can harm adolescent brain development, which continues into the early to mid-20s. Knowing the harmful effects of nicotine makes it important for current e-cigarette users to quit vaping.
In 2019, tobacco retailer compliance checks through the Wisconsin Wins program found that 16 percent of the retailers inspected (out of 45 inspections)sold a tobacco or nicotine product to a minor in Portage County. Purchasing tobacco and nicotine products is just one way that youth can access vape products. However, through the Wisconsin Wins program, retailers are given access to tools such as free ID verification training to ensure they don’t sell tobacco and nicotine products to youth.
Parents, guardians, or other adults who want to help a young person in their life quit e-cigarettes can enroll in a free online course at dhs.wisconsin.gov/vapefree. The course teaches about warning signs and gives tips and tools for talking to the teen in their life.
As a reminder, teens can access free help by texting “VAPEFREE” to the number 873373.