BY MARY SCHMIDT-OWENS, PhD
SUCCESSFUL STUDENTS + HEALTHY FUTURES
Addressing the Youth Vaping Crisis in K-12 Schools
YOUTH VAPING HAS CHANGED THE LANDSCAPE.
In Florida, 1 in 8 (12%) youth (ages 11-17) vapes or uses another toxic tobacco product. In Orange County, 1 in 13 (8%) youth (ages 11-17) vapes or uses another toxic tobacco product. 1 in 5 reports vaping on school property. Though there is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke, half (51%) of local youth report being exposed.(1)
NICOTINE IMPACTS LEARNING.
Youth tobacco use is associated with low academic achievement. Nicotine harms parts of the brain responsible for learning, memory, impulse control, and mental health. Nicotine addiction can also increase the risk for addiction to other drugs.(2)
STUDENT THOUGHTS ON HOW COMPREHENSIVE TOBACCO FREE SCHOOLS PROTECT STUDENTS.
In Orange County, 87.9% of youth (ages 11-17) are committed to never smoking. One Orange County 10th-grade student gave her perspective. She stated school tobacco free rules “help protect because it keeps students from vaping and smoking which means they can concentrate more on their class work and have less distractions.”
A COMPREHENSIVE K-12 TOBACCO POLICY CAN HELP!
Every child deserves a fair chance at a healthy future — free from nicotine addiction. A school district tobacco policy can help make that vision a reality. The Public Health Law Center, American Heart Association, Neola, and Tobacco Free Partnership of Orange County recommend 15 policy provisions to address the vaping crisis.(3) Congratulations to Orange County Public Schools for having 11 of the 15 policy provisions in the Tobacco Free Schools policy. To learn more, contact the Tobacco Free Partnership of Orange County at [email protected].
Sources: (1). Florida Department of Health, 2020. (2). Latvala et al., 2014; National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2020. (3). Public Health Law Center, 2019.
