| National Non-Smoking Week – Get the scoop | http://www.vch.ca/about-us/news/national-non-smoking-week-2022 | National Non-Smoking Week – Get the scoop | | | | <p class="phsa-rteElement-Paragraph">Do your kids know more about vaping than you do? Do they have the right information? Do you?<br></p><p class="phsa-rteElement-Paragraph">During the pandemic, vaping among young people continues to be an epidemic. According to the 2020 “Youth Vaping During Covid-19" surveys, more than one third of youth had vaped every day in the past month (<a href="https://www.mcs.bc.ca/pdf/youth_vaping_covid19.pdf">McCreary Centre Society</a>). Of those who vaped in the past month, 75 per cent reported vaping within 30 minutes of waking.</p><h2 class="phsa-rteElement-Header2">So why do some youth vape?</h2><p class="phsa-rteElement-Paragraph">According to the surveys above, common reasons for vaping include: because their friends were doing it, feeling there was nothing else to do, wanting to try it, taste/flavours and feeling stressed/anxious.</p><p class="phsa-rteElement-Paragraph">With enticing flavours such as blue-raspberry and cotton candy, it is not surprising youth listed this as one of the reasons for vaping. To attract youth, the tobacco and vaping industry strategically markets the addictive nicotine-containing vapes with these appealing flavours and names.</p><p class="phsa-rteElement-Paragraph">Would you allow your kids to eat nicotine-infused treats? The Canadian Lung Association created a provocative video using a favourite treat – ice cream – to illustrate the deceptiveness of the tobacco and vaping industry to hook youth into using fun-flavoured vapes. </p><div class="ms-rtestate-read ms-rte-embedcode ms-rte-embedil ms-rtestate-notify"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/d3aPiGnSe2I" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0"></iframe> </div><p class="phsa-rteElement-Paragraph"><em style="color:#455560;font-size:13px;">Please note: in B.C., there are </em><span style="color:#455560;font-size:15px;"></span><a href="https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/health/keeping-bc-healthy-safe/tobacco-vapour/requirements-under-public-health-act-e-substances-regulation" style="color:#1a9bd2;background-color:#ffffff;transition:color 0.1s ease-out 0s;font-size:15px;"><em style="font-size:13px;">laws</em></a><em style="color:#455560;font-size:13px;"> around the sale, display, promotion, reporting and use of e-substances: Tobacco and Vapour Products Control Act and Regulation, the Public Health Act and the new E-Substances Regulation.</em></p><p class="phsa-rteElement-Paragraph"><em style="color:#455560;font-size:13px;"><br></em></p><p class="phsa-rteElement-Paragraph"><span style="color:#843275;font-size:22px;">Did you know?</span><br></p><p></p><ul class="phsa-rteElement-Paragraph"><li><p class="phsa-rteElement-Paragraph">Nicotine is addictive and causes problems in the developing brain. Important development occurs during adolescence, until about the age of 25 (<a href="https://www.camh.ca/-/media/files/vaping-youth-resource-en-pdf.pdf">CAMH</a>).</p></li><li><p class="phsa-rteElement-Paragraph">Youth brains are especially susceptible to the harmful effects of nicotine – and they may also get addicted faster (<a href="https://www.canada.ca/en/services/health/publications/healthy-living/talking-teen-vaping-tip-sheet-parents.html">Health Canada</a>). </p></li><li><p class="phsa-rteElement-Paragraph">Research shows that youth who vape may be more likely to start using cigarettes (<a href="https://www.cmaj.ca/content/189/43/E1328">Canadian Medical Association Journal</a>). </p></li><li><p class="phsa-rteElement-Paragraph">Adolescence is when youth experiment and may develop regular vaping and smoking behaviours. On average, youth first try smoking around 13.7 years (<a href="https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/canadian-student-tobacco-alcohol-drugs-survey/2018-2019-summary.html">Health Canada</a>) and begin vaping at 15.73 years (<a href="https://heartstrokeprod.azureedge.net/-/media/pdf-files/what-we-do/news/yyav-full-report-2020-11-03.ashx?la=en&rev=2f4d3f02236f4a5fb6aac613b334a079">Heart and Stroke Foundation Canada</a>). Almost 90% of adult daily smokers started smoking by the age of 18 (<a href="https://www.fda.gov/tobacco-products/public-health-education/youth-and-tobacco">US Department of Health and Human Services</a>, 2021). </p></li></ul><p></p><h2 class="phsa-rteElement-Header2"> Support and Resources</h2><h3 class="phsa-rteElement-Header3">FREE Support</h3><p></p><ul class="phsa-rteElement-Paragraph"><li><p class="phsa-rteElement-Paragraph"><a href="http://www.vch.ca/Documents/VGH%20Smoking%20Cessation%20Pamphlet.pdf">VGH Smoking Cessation Clinic</a> (for reducing or stopping smoking or vaping) – Offers one-on-one (phone or virtual) support by a doctor or nurse trained in harm reduction and cessation. Call 604-875-4800 (press “2").</p></li><li><p class="phsa-rteElement-Paragraph"><a href="https://quitnow.ca/">QuitNow</a> (for reducing or stopping smoking or vaping) – Online support (<a href="http://www.quitnow.ca/">www.quitnow.ca</a>), phone (1-877-455-2233) or text QUITNOW to 654321.</p></li><li><p class="phsa-rteElement-Paragraph"><a href="https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/health/health-drug-coverage/pharmacare-for-bc-residents/what-we-cover/bc-smoking-cessation-program">BC Smoking Cessation Program</a> (for reducing or stopping smoking) – for BC residents to obtain free nicotine replacement therapy products (i.e. nicotine patch, gum or lozenge), or possibly subsidized stop smoking medications. Ask your pharmacist about the BC Smoking Cessation Program.</p></li></ul><p></p><h3 class="phsa-rteElement-Header3">FREE Resources<br></h3><p></p><ul class="phsa-rteElement-Paragraph"><li><p class="phsa-rteElement-Paragraph"><a href="https://www.legacyairwayhealth.ca/youth-vaping-support-pathways-infographic/">Youth vaping infographics</a> (Legacy for Airway Health)<br></p></li><li><p class="phsa-rteElement-Paragraph"><a href="https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/vaping">Vaping informaiton for BC</a> (BC Ministry of Health) </p></li><li><p class="phsa-rteElement-Paragraph"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFKg1fS6fd4">Vaping video</a> for youth and <a href="https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/smoking-tobacco/vaping.html">About Vaping</a> (Health Canada)</p></li><li><p class="phsa-rteElement-Paragraph"><a href="https://bclung.ca/how-we-can-help/vaping/vaping-prevention-toolkit">Vaping Prevention Toolkits</a> for parents and educators (BC Lung Foundation)</p></li><li><p class="phsa-rteElement-Paragraph"><a href="https://www.quashapp.com/">Quash App</a> – a judgment-free app to help youth stop smoking or vaping (Lung Health Foundation)</p></li><li><p class="phsa-rteElement-Paragraph"><a href="https://lunghealth.r5pro.com/lunghealth/wtv/">What the Vape?!?!</a> – A short online course geared for youth that looks at e-cigarettes and vaping from a lung health perspective and addresses this growing epidemic (Lung Health Foundation)</p></li></ul><p class="phsa-rteElement-Paragraph"><br></p> | <img alt="" src="/PublishingImages/story-banner-vaping.png" style="BORDER:0px solid;" /> |
