In 2019, over 50% of Massachusetts high school students reported having used e-cigarettes at least once.1 In 2017, Massachusetts youth used e-cigarettes at a rate of six times more than adults.2
Electronic cigarettes (also known as “e-cigs,” “vapes,” and “electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS)”) are battery-powered devices that heat liquid into a vapor for the user to inhale. Electronic cigarettes come in varying shapes and sizes. One of the most popular vaping devices, JUUL, has a sleek, modern design that resembles a USB drive.
The liquid (also known as “e-liquid,” “juice,” or “pods”) in vaping devices almost always contains nicotine, a highly addictive substance that can lead to serious health consequences, especially for young people whose brains and bodies are still developing. Some e-liquid, including the e-liquid contained in JUUL pods, have a notably high nicotine concentration. The nicotine concentration of JUUL pods is 5%. In terms of nicotine consumption, vaping one pod is equivalent to 200 puffs or one whole pack of traditional combustible cigarettes. E-liquids may also contain other unhealthy chemicals and compounds, including heavy metals, ultrafine particles, and carcinogens (cancer-causing chemicals).
According to both the Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the United States Surgeon General, e-cigarette use among young people is unsafe.
1 Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Youth Vaping and Cessation Data
2 Massachusetts Department of Public Health
Resources for schools and teachers
- AG Healey's letter to schools about vaping. The letter is available in English and Spanish.
- Stanford Medicine Tobacco Prevention Toolkit: E-Cigarettes and Vape Pens – A free toolkit for high school and middle school teachers with in-classroom units and lesson plans on e-cigarettes, tobacco, and nicotine addiction.
- CATCH My Breath Youth E-Cigarette Prevention Program – A free school-based prevention program for high schools and middle schools to educate students about e-cigarettes, nicotine and addiction and prevent and reduce youth use of e-cigarettes.
- Project Here – An initiative by the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office and the GE Foundation that is making substance use prevention education resources available to all public middle schools in Massachusetts through an educational toolkit, a digital app, and a grant program for evidence-based curriculum. Middle schools in Massachusetts can register for this free program.
- Massachusetts Department of Public Health Vaping Toolkit for Schools – A free toolkit for schools created by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. The toolkit includes information about school tobacco policies, presentations for school staff and parents, and resources for teachers and administrators.
- The 84 – The 84 is a statewide movement of youth fighting tobacco in Massachusetts. Youth groups in a high school or community organization can sign up to become an 84 Chapter. Chapters educate their peers and adults about the tobacco industry's tactics, help create change locally to reduce the influence of tobacco in their communities, and more.
- Teachers and Parents: That USB Stick Might Be an E-Cigarette – A one-page poster developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention about e-cigarettes and JUUL.
- E-Cigarettes Shaped Like USB Flash Drives: Information for Parents, Educators, and Health Care Providers – A four-page brochure developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention with facts and infographics about e-cigarettes and JUUL and information about how parents, educators and health care providers can help prevent and reduce e-cigarette use among young people.
Resources for parents and adults
- Electronic Cigarettes: What’s the Bottom Line? – A fact sheet with infographics by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention with information about e-cigarettes, the chemicals in e-cigarette aerosol, and the health effects. The fact sheet is available in English and Spanish.
- Knowing the Risks: E-Cigarettes & Young People – A website created by the U.S. Surgeon General with information for adults and youth about e-cigarettes and the associated health risks. The website includes resources in Spanish.
- Talk with Your Teen About E-Cigarettes: A Tip Sheet for Parents – A two-page fact sheet from the U.S. Surgeon General with information for parents about how to have a conversation with your children about e-cigarettes and vaping.
- Parents Against Vaping e-cigarettes (P.A.V.e) – A grassroots organization founded by parents that seeks to educate parents about the dangers of e-cigarettes, advocate for the health and safety of young people, and provide support to parents of children with nicotine addiction.
- E-Cigarettes Shaped Like USB Flash Drives: Information for Parents, Educators, and Health Care Providers – A four-page brochure developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention with facts and infographics about e-cigarettes and JUUL and information about how parents, educators and health care providers can help prevent and reduce e-cigarette use among young people.
- Teachers and Parents: That USB Stick Might Be an E-Cigarette – A one-page poster developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention about e-cigarettes and JUUL.
- The New Look of Nicotine Addiction (Massachusetts Tobacco and Cessation Program):
- Get the Facts – A webpage with information about vaping, types of e-cigarettes, how parents can tell if their child is vaping, and other frequently asked questions.
- Vaping Fact Sheet – A one-page fact sheet available in English and Spanish with information about e-cigarette use among youth in Massachusetts and vaping industry tactics.
- Frequently Asked Questions About Vaping – A four-page brochure with information about e-cigarettes, e-liquids, and health risks.
- Information for Parents – A webpage with information about how parents can talk with your children about vaping and how parents and youth can get involved in community efforts around tobacco control and prevention.
- Tips for Talking with Your Kids About Vaping – A one-page fact sheet with information and tips for parents about how to have a conversation with your children about e-cigarettes and vaping.
Nicotine and substance addiction treatment resources
Talk to your children’s pediatrician, who may be able to provide treatment or make a referral, if you are concerned that your child is vaping and/or addicted to vaping.
You may also want to consider these programs (which do not constitute an exhaustive list of available resources):
- Adolescent Substance Abuse Program (ASAP)
Boston Children’s Hospital
617-355-2727
Website - CATALYST Clinic
Boston Medical Center
617-414-6655
Website - The Addiction Recovery Management Service (ARMS)
Massachusetts General Hospital
617-643-4699
Website - Tobacco Research and Treatment Center (TRTC)
Massachusetts General Hospital
617-726-7443
Website - E-Cigarette Quit Program
Truth Initiative
Website - Massachusetts Substance Use Helpline
1-800-327-5050
www.helplinema.org - Massachusetts Smokers’ Quitline
1-800-QUIT-NOW
Website