The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) launched a new advertising campaign called “Tell Your Story,” in response to the latest high school vaping data from its 2019-20 California Student Tobacco Survey. California has made progress in combating the youth vaping epidemic, but with kids going back to in-person learning, it is crucial to continue making progress. Sara Snyder has the details…
The survey, which includes data from September 2019 to March 2020, revealed that California’s high school vaping rate is at its lowest in four years (8.2%) while the number of California teens trying to quit vaping more than doubled since 2018. During the same time, numerous youth and young adults were hospitalized due to the e-cigarette, or vaping product use-associated lung injury (EVALI) outbreak, sending a warning to young people across the state. California was the first state in the nation to respond to the deadly EVALI outbreak with a large-scale public awareness advertising campaign to protect young people, launched by Governor Gavin Newsom’s Executive Order on September 16, 2019.
As California was responding to the EVALI epidemic, the COVID-19 pandemic created another public health crisis that attacks the lungs, reinforcing lung health as a top priority. Smoking and vaping harms the lungs, putting Californians who vape at greater risk from COVID-19. Research has shown teens who have tried vaping are five times more likely to test positive for COVID-19.
The annual student tobacco survey conducted by CDPH, in partnership with University of California, San Diego, assessed the use of and attitudes toward tobacco products among middle and high school students along with social and environmental exposure to various tobacco products and advertisements. Additional key findings from the report include:
- Overall tobacco use (9.7%) among high school students was mainly driven by the rate of vape use (8.2%). Vape products were the most used tobacco product among students across gender, race/ethnicity, and grade.
- In 2020, 11.6% of LGBTQ+ identifying high school students in California vaped, compared to the overall California high school vaping rate of 8.2%.
- High school students who rated their mental health as poor had higher current tobacco use prevalence (16.1%) compared to those who rated their mental health as good to excellent (7.9%).
- The vast majority of teens who vape use flavored vapes (96.2%).
Californians looking to quit can text “I Can Quit” to 66819 or visit NoVapes.org to join the free, confidential text message program.
Tell Your Story Campaign: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLurbAZks39wg9EN_XppXvDHV51jzZC8g5
CA Student Tobacco Survey: https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CCDPHP/DCDIC/CTCB/CDPH%20Document%20Library/ResearchandEvaluation/FactsandFigures/2019-20CSTSBiennialReport_7-27-2021.pdf
Gov. Newsom’s Executive Order: https://www.gov.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/9.16.19-EO-N-18-19.pdf
