CT Clearinghouse

Vaping

Vaping is the act of inhaling and exhaling the aerosol, often referred to as vapor, produced by an e-cigarette or similar device. It’s become more popular among teens than regular cigarettes, especially given that vaping devices can be used for anything from flavors like mango, mint or tutti frutti, to flavorings containing nicotine or THC, the chemical compound in marijuana that produces the high. 

Vaping is unsafe for children, teens and young adults as nicotine is highly addictive and can harm adolescent brain development, which continues into the early to mid-20s. In addition, the aerosol in e-cigarettes can contain other harmful substances, such as ultrafine particles, volatile organic compounds, cancer-causing chemicals, and heavy metals such as nickel, tin and lead. 

Source: CDC

Curricula / Lesson Plans

Catch My Breath Vaping Prevention Curriculum
This peer-led teaching approach empowers students with the knowledge and skills needed to make informed decisions about e-cigarettes and resist social pressures to vape. The curriculum is free to US Educators, however, some components include a fee.

E-Cigarette and Vaping Curriculum - American Academy of Pediatrics
This curriculum focuses on addressing youth E-cigarette prevention and cessation based on current evidence and best practices. 

Vaping: Know the Truth
The Truth Initiative, in partnership with the American Heart Association and Kaiser Permanente, developed this curriculum to educate students about the health dangers of e-cigarette use.

Vaping: Prevention and Education: Resources for Talking with Students
Science-based, standards-mapped classroom resources created by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Center for Tobacco Products to prevent vaping among middle and high school students. These cross-curricular vaping prevention resources include lesson plans, activities, infographics, and videos that help teens learn about the dangers of e-cigarette use. These resources can be used to start an open dialogue with students about vaping nicotine and help encourage a lifetime of healthy behaviors.

You and Me, Together Vape-Free (elementary, middle and high school)
The You and Me, Together Vape-Free curriculum from Stanford Medicine includes 6 lessons, each providing activities, online quiz games, and worksheets in addition to presentations, resources, and other materials aimed at addressing key factors associated with youth e-cigarette use, including changing adolescents’ attitudes towards and misperceptions about e-cigarettes; increasing their refusal skills to pulls of flavors, marketing, and social media; reducing stress and depression which have been linked to e-cigarette initiation and use; improving coping; and decreasing intentions and actual use of all e-cigarette products.


Research & Statistics


See Tobacco / Nicotine for more information.