PARENTS, GUARDIANS & CAREGIVERS
Overwhelmed with the different forms of nicotine targeted at young people? Looking for help talking about vapes with your kids? You’re not alone. We're here to help.
Companies keep creating new nicotine products. They offer them in flavors that appeal to youth. They use influencers on social media to market them. They use lab-made nicotine and label it "tobacco-free." The bottom line remains the same: there is no safe form of nicotine.
Your child’s brain is still developing until the age of 25. Using nicotine during this time affects the parts of their brain that help them pay attention and learn new things. It can also affect mood and impulse control and increase their chances of addiction.
Learn more about tobacco and nicotine
- Learn more about the health impacts of tobacco, nicotine, and vaping. (American Academy of Pediatrics)
- Protect Youth from the Harms of Vaping (CDC)
- IKnowMine.org: Tobacco (Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium)
- Alaska’s Not Buying It youth campaign – focused on vaping, tobacco, and nicotine
Learn more about cannabis
- Is Cannabis Harmful for Children & Teens? (American Academy of Pediatrics)
- How does cannabis use impact adolescents? (National Institute on Drug Abuse)
- Know the Effects, Risks and Side Effects of Cannabis (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)
- Alaska’s Not Buying It youth campaign – focused on cannabis
Need help talking with young people about vaping or helping them quit?
- Live Vape Free – Videos and a downloadable guide for conversations about vaping with teens
- Talking to Youth and Young Adults to Prevent E-cigarette Use (CDC)
- Talk to Your Child About Vaping: A Training for Parents, Guardians, and Caregivers (American Lung Association)
- Tools to support young people in your life as they quit vaping – (The Ex Program, a collaboration between Truth Initiative and the Mayo Clinic)
- This program is for young adults who would like help quitting vaping. Parents can also sign up to get more information on helping their child quit.
- Guiding youth toward clean breath and strong spirits (Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium)
- Teen.Smokefree.gov – Tools and tips to become a smokefree teen
Alaska-specific resources for young people
Not Buying It is an Alaska public education campaign that shares messages about the real consequences of tobacco and e-cigarette products, videos, resources, and tips and strategies to quit. This campaign is designed for Alaska teens but includes resources for parents, educators, and community partners.
EDUCATORS & COMMUNITY PARTNERS
- E-cigarette Use Among Alaska Teens online training course – This online course is for school administrators, staff, and teachers. It provides messages about the health harms associated with youth using vapes. It helps identify various types of vapes; shows tips to help prevent vaping; and shares resources for schools, parents, and teens.
- To enroll, sign up for a free e-Learning account or log in to your account on the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development website. Take the “E-cigarette Use Among Alaska Teens” course.
- This course is created in partnership with the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development, the Alaska Tobacco Prevention and Control program, and the Alaska Office of Substance Misuse and Addiction Prevention.
- Transforming Schools: A Framework for Trauma-Engaged Practice in Alaska - This is developed for Alaska schools to integrate trauma-informed practices into schools.
- Addressing Student Tobacco Use in Schools: Alternative Measures – This offers alternative penalty language and measures for schools with students who violate tobacco-free policies. It is created by the Public Health Law Center.
- CATCH My Breath - CATCH My Breath is a nicotine vaping prevention program. It provides a free evidence-based program that significantly reduces likelihood of vaping. It’s appropriate for grades 5–12 and has four 30- to 40-minute lessons. It is created by CATCH and CVS Health Foundation.
- Vaping: Know the Truth - This course focuses on vaping prevention and shares resources to quit at no cost to students and teachers. It’s recommended for grades 8–12. It is created by the Truth Initiative, Kaiser Permanente, and the American Heart Association.