A new campaign launched on Wednesday, Oct. 21, in Philadelphia is tackling the problem of teenagers who use e-cigarettes.
The Philadelphia Department of Health launched its “Kick the Vape” campaign in an attempt to curtail vaping among teens.
“Smoking nicotine remains the No. 1 cause of preventable death, disease, and disability in the United States,” Dr. Samara Jinks-Chang of the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia told CBS News Philadelphia.
“The tobacco industry wants youth to be hooked,” Philadelphia Health Commissioner Dr. Palak Raval-Nelson added. “That is their model right back in the day with cigarettes, and people are hooked for life. Now, it’s vaping, and you’re hooked for life.”
Harmony Ellis has advocated for students who want help quitting vaping since she was a freshman at Freire Charter High School in Rittenhouse. Ellis told the PhillyVoice she has friends who are “dealing with major health issues because of vaping.”
The city’s health department has teamed up with the School District of Philadelphia, the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and the EX Program, organized by the nonprofit Truth Initiative with the Mayo Clinic, to connect youth with resources for quitting.
The citywide initiative “Don’t Get Finessed,” slang for don’t get duped or tricked, includes a social media effort encouraging youth ready to quit to text “KickTheVape” to 88709 for free, 24/7 confidential support.
The campaign is part of the larger “Kick the Vape” campaign that will have multiple, related initiatives over the coming years to inform people about the dangers of vaping and help them find ways to quit.