| ISLAND TEENS ADVOCACY TEAM ITAT NEWSLETTER MAY 2022 Can you spot the vape? Island Teens Collect Data This month, the Queen Center hosted the first Pacific Islander Youth Health Focus Group. This months focus group researched topics like tobacco and vape use, and mental health resources and barriers. We put out a flyer to Pacific Islander Youth, and had them apply to participate. From their applications, the participants were chosen at random. From our sample group, we were able to obtain valuable information on the Pacific Islander Youth experience pertaining to tobacco and vape use, their mental health struggles and experiences, and their access to mental health and substance abuse resources. The findings from this focus group will be shared within the upcoming month, along with SHARP data on Pacific Islander Youth health behaviors in 2020. Last month our Island Teens held educational tabling events at their schools to celebrate Take Down Tobacco Day. At those tabling booths, they shared their shadow boxes full of vape products disguised as school supplies. Along with the shadow box, participating students took a quiz to test their knowledge on vape products. 98% of the students who took the quiz answered that it was easy for youth to purchase vapes, and that students vape in school bathrooms. Not all of the youth who answered the quiz could identify all of the vapes in the shadow box. When asked where youth can purchase vapes, many of the students answered that they could be purchased from friends, family, dealers, gas stations, and social media. It has been busy, but always fun working with our ITAT students. They are awesome advocates in spreading awareness of the dangers of tobacco/vape products. Tobacco in the News: What you may not know about vaping: Nicotine exposure during adolescence can impact learning, memory, and attention. Some e-cigarettes are disguised to look like USB flash drives, pens, and other everyday items, making them easier to conceal. One of the most commonly sold USB flash drive shaped e-cigarettes is JUUL, which experienced a 600% surge in sales during 2016-17. E-cigarette batteries can explode while you are vaping, or while carrying the e-cig device in your pocket. Nicotine is a health danger for pregnant women and their developing babies. Nicotine is addictive whether it is ingested through vaping or smoking. Shadow Box Answers Tobacco Resources: MY LIFE MY QUIT: mylifemyquit.com is a new service available to teens, to assist them in quitting the highly addictive nicotine products that comprise the teen vaping epidemic. All they need to do is text "Start My Quit" 855-891-9989 to talk or text with a quit coach to cheer them on in their journey of quitting! You can always call 1-800-QUIT-NOW to get help on quitting! UPCOMING EVENTS: May 31: Happy Memorial Day! Visit Our Site Let's be buddies |
ISLAND TEENS ADVOCACY TEAM
ITAT NEWSLETTER
MAY 2022
Can you spot the vape?
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Island Teens Collect Data | |
This month, the Queen Center hosted the first Pacific Islander Youth Health Focus Group. This months focus group researched topics like tobacco and vape use, and mental health resources and barriers. We put out a flyer to Pacific Islander Youth, and had them apply to participate. From their applications, the participants were chosen at random. From our sample group, we were able to obtain valuable information on the Pacific Islander Youth experience pertaining to tobacco and vape use, their mental health struggles and experiences, and their access to mental health and substance abuse resources. The findings from this focus group will be shared within the upcoming month, along with SHARP data on Pacific Islander Youth health behaviors in 2020.
Last month our Island Teens held educational tabling events at their schools to celebrate Take Down Tobacco Day. At those tabling booths, they shared their shadow boxes full of vape products disguised as school supplies. Along with the shadow box, participating students took a quiz to test their knowledge on vape products. 98% of the students who took the quiz answered that it was easy for youth to purchase vapes, and that students vape in school bathrooms. Not all of the youth who answered the quiz could identify all of the vapes in the shadow box. When asked where youth can purchase vapes, many of the students answered that they could be purchased from friends, family, dealers, gas stations, and social media.
It has been busy, but always fun working with our ITAT students. They are awesome advocates in spreading awareness of the dangers of tobacco/vape products.
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Tobacco in the News:
What you may not know about vaping:
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- Nicotine exposure during adolescence can impact learning, memory, and attention.
- Some e-cigarettes are disguised to look like USB flash drives, pens, and other everyday items, making them easier to conceal.
- One of the most commonly sold USB flash drive shaped e-cigarettes is JUUL, which experienced a 600% surge in sales during 2016-17.
- E-cigarette batteries can explode while you are vaping, or while carrying the e-cig device in your pocket.
- Nicotine is a health danger for pregnant women and their developing babies.
- Nicotine is addictive whether it is ingested through vaping or smoking.
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Tobacco Resources:
MY LIFE MY QUIT: mylifemyquit.com is a new service available to teens, to assist them in quitting the highly addictive nicotine products that comprise the teen vaping epidemic. All they need to do is text "Start My Quit" 855-891-9989 to talk or text with a quit coach to cheer them on in their journey of quitting!
You can always call 1-800-QUIT-NOW to get help on quitting!
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UPCOMING EVENTS:
May 31: Happy Memorial Day!
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