According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there were 1.5 million more current youth e-cigarette users in 2018 than 2017. E-cigarette use increased from 11.7 percent to 20.8 percent among high school students and 3.3 percent to 4.9 percent among middle school students. Muscatine County reminds residents e-cigarettes, electronic smoking devices, JUULs, vapes, etc. – are not harmless.
According to the CDC, 99 percent of e-cigarettes contain nicotine and many youth are unaware of this – they think they’re a safe alternative to “regular” cigarettes. They are not. Nicotine is highly addictive and young people can become addicted to e-cigarettes as easily as traditional cigarettes. Nicotine has been shown to harm adolescent brain development, which continues until the early to mid-20s.
“Parents need to talk to their kids about e-cigarettes and make it clear they are not safe,” said New Horizons Prevention Coordinator, Jaimie Cruse. “The ‘fun’ flavors and availability of electronic smoking devices leaves the impression they are safe for kids. Which they are not.”
Quitline Iowa is a free resource for all Iowans aged 13 and older. A tailored quit plan can be created for users of any type of nicotine – from chewing tobacco to cigarettes to e-cigarettes. Benefits of Quitline include:
* Free and confidential
* Users may be eligible for free Nicotine replacement therapy
* Trained quit coaches
Muscatine County residents can take advantage of the program by calling 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669) or by visiting www.quitlineiowa.org to enroll.