Behind the Smoke: Vaping is No Joke (for middle school/junior high school)

E-cigarette use amongst youth is a serious public health crisis. Nicotine is harmful to developing brains and young users are more likely to get addicted quickly. Despite the FDA’s attempts to crack down on misleading labels and youth-focused marketing, tobacco companies continue to expand their offerings to appeal to young people and to perpetuate the belief that vaping is a safe alternative to smoking. This program is designed to raise awareness with younger teens about the dangers of vaping and nicotine addiction. Media literacy is introduced to encourage students to evaluate and understand messaging about e-cigarettes. Vaping consequences, which expand beyond just physical health, are explored and the program concludes with the message that the real cost of vaping is simply too high.