Smoking is so bogus, no cap!

Many Gen X and Millennials may remember graduating from the D.A.R.E. program, the “This is your brain on drugs” commercial, or even Mr. T’s pity for those who use drugs, alcohol, and tobacco. Public health strategies have been a mainstay for providing information and improving health outcomes for all. From the 80’s and 90’s to today, public health programs have helped prevent young people from using tobacco products, facilitated them quitting, and eliminated exposure to secondhand smoke.1

Fewer teens using tobacco is such a slay

From choker necklaces to claw clips, trends from the 90s are coming back, but there are some that need to stay in the past! We have taken big strides in helping our youth say “no” to tobacco in the last 35 years. The Youth Risk Behavior Survey from 1991 showed 70.1% of 9-12 graders using tobacco, as compared to the 2021 survey showing that number down to 17.8%.2 This declining trend shows us more and more teens are choosing to not smoke or use tobacco products! It’s exciting to see the downward trend even with more products being advertised to this age group such as e-cigarettes, vapes, nicotine pouches, etc.

Vaping is a cheugy buzzkill.

With the invention of the electronic vaping device in 2003, many tobacco companies and support groups praised this new device as a “healthy” alternative to smoking. However, researchers have concluded that e-cigarettes often provide higher levels of nicotine than combustible cigarettes3, and many studies have proven that e-cigarettes and vapes contain toxic chemicals leading to heart and lung disease. “In February 2020, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed 2,807 cases of e-cigarette or vaping use-associated lung injury (EVALI) and 68 deaths attributed to that condition.”4

Using vapes and other tobacco products is addictive and harmful to your health. According to Michael Blaha, MD, MPH, director of clinical research at Johns Hopkins Ciccarone Center for the Prevention of Heart Disease, “Emerging data suggests links to chronic lung disease and asthma, as well as associations between dual use of e-cigarettes and smoking with cardiovascular disease. You’re exposing yourself to all kinds of chemicals that we don’t yet understand and that are probably not safe.”4 Various chemical substances and ultrafine particles known to be toxic, carcinogenic, and/or to cause respiratory and cardiac disease have been identified in e-cigarette aerosols, cartridges, refill liquids, and environmental emissions.5

My Life, My Quit

Aside from our L attempts at mixing 90s and Gen Z slang, when it comes to nicotine addiction, the lesson is simple: the more you use the more you need to. Regardless of how long you’ve used, stopping tobacco use can and will improve your health. The My Life, My Quit program is specifically designed to help teens quit smoking. This FREE program allows individuals to go at their own pace and includes activities to support quitting stress relief. For more information on the My Life, My Quit program, visit our website www.healthygallatin.org.

My Life, My Quit (Under 18): 1-855-891-9989 or MyLifeMyQuit.com

Montana Tobacco Quit Line: 1-800-QUIT-NOW or QuitNowMontana.com

American Indian Commercial Tobacco Quit Line: 1-855-5AI-QUIT or MTAmercianIndianQuitLine.com