- Department of Public Health
- Office of the Attorney General
Media Contact
Ann Scales, Director of Media Relations
Boston — The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH), in partnership with the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office, has launched a new public health campaign to support young adults across Massachusetts to quit vaping and stop using other tobacco or nicotine products.
The campaign, called “This Ad Won’t Make You Quit Vaping,” aims to reach 18–24-year-olds who vape or use other nicotine products, including pouches, and connect them with free, trusted quitting support. According to the 2023 Massachusetts Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 14 percent of young adults vape—and according to a national 2024 study from Truth Initiative nearly half (48 percent) express a desire to quit. The campaign meets young people where they are, with honest and empathetic messaging that highlights the mental health benefits of quitting and introduces them to resources that are free and ready when they are, framing support as empowering.
The campaign is funded through the settlement the Attorney General’s Office reached with Juul Labs, Inc. in 2023, holding the company accountable for its role in fueling the youth vaping epidemic.
“This campaign is about righting the wrongs of Juul’s predatory marketing,” said Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell. “By investing settlement funds into prevention and cessation programs, we are giving young people the tools, resources, and support they need to break free from nicotine addiction and build healthier futures.”
“The evidence is clear: people who get support are more likely to succeed in quitting nicotine,” said Department of Public Health Commissioner Robbie Goldstein, MD, PhD. “This campaign makes those supports visible and accessible, and it does so in a way that reflects the voice of young adults themselves. By removing barriers and connecting young people to trusted, evidence-based care, we are helping to improve both their immediate well-being and their long-term health.”
Research shows that many young adults turn to nicotine to try to manage anxiety or stress, but nicotine can make those feelings worse. A recent study indicates vaping cessation is associated with improved quality of life and mental health among U.S. adults.*
The campaign’s concepts were tested with English- and Spanish-speaking young adults who use nicotine products to ensure the benefits of quitting nicotine for your mental health were clear.
The call to action directs people to Text “Start” to 36072 or visit mass.gov/QuitVaping (For Spanish: Llama al 1-855-DÉJELO-YA). Through the Massachusetts Quitline, young adults can connect with live, trained quit coaches by text or phone, create a personalized quit plan, and access free quit medications such as patches or gum—all at no cost. The campaign will run in both English and Spanish across platforms where young people spend their time—including Meta, TikTok, YouTube, Google, connected TV (CTV), Twitch, streaming radio, and posters at colleges statewide.
By combining evidence-based support with a digital-first campaign, Massachusetts is working to ensure that more young adults try to quit vaping—and succeed.
*(Dai HD, Young B. Changes in quality of life and mental health outcomes related to vaping cessation among US adults, Tobacco Control Published Online First: 27 March 2025.)
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