The Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) launched a statewide media campaign this month to discourage minors from using e-cigarettes and other vaping devices. The Facts Over Flavor campaign provides kids with facts about vaping by educating teens on the presence of nicotine and other hazardous substances found in many flavored vaping liquids. Kids are also warned of the health risks of vaping and the consequences of nicotine addiction.
The most recent numbers are alarming. According to the CDC’s 2017 Youth Behavior Risk Surveillance System, 51 percent of Arizona’s high-school-aged youth have tried electronic vaping products. Nationwide, the number of 10th graders who regularly use vape products doubled in one year, according to the 2018 Monitoring the Future survey. ADHS developed this innovative campaign to reduce the number of kids who are vaping. We’re hoping to spread this prevention message to hundreds of thousands of Arizona kids before they try vaping for the first time.
This new campaign encourages kids to visit FactsOverFlavor.com where they can get additional health messaging about vaping. ADHS also created a parent resource website. The website includes advice on identifying vaping devices, talking to kids about vape, and getting help for a teen who is already vaping. By providing factual information and resources through this campaign, we are hoping to empower Arizona kids to make healthy choices that will last a lifetime.
