Telegraph file photo Vaping continues to be a problem for teenagers and young adults, so Dartmouth-Hitchcock Health is launching the ‘No Safe Vape’ program.

LEBANON – Nearly half of the students in Nashua High School North and South health classes reported they had tried vaping, according to an Academic Health Class Survey conducted by Nashua Prevention Coalition. Also found in the survey was that 81.5% of students reported seeing people vape in the school bathrooms.

In response, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Health (D-HH) is launching a multi-state vaping education campaign titled “No Safe Vape,” in response to a major health issue facing the region and the nation.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) annual Youth Risk Behavior Survey, New Hampshire has the highest percentage of high school students reporting daily use of electronic vapor products such as vapes and e-cigarettes.

With the growing number of vaping-related illnesses and deaths, “No Safe Vape” aims to educate young people and their families in New Hampshire and Vermont about the dangers of vaping and to provide resources for those seeking further information or help quitting.

The “No Safe Vape” campaign coincides with the Great American Smokeout on Thursday, a national effort to encourage smokers to quit. “No Safe Vape” presents facts about the dangers of vaping on a new website, https://go.d-h.org/NoSafeVape, and features a comprehensive list of local, regional and national resources. A social media campaign, including a 20-minute Facebook Live event with D-HH professionals and teens, and a thought-provoking educational video on the harmful contents of vape cartridges, will support the effort. In addition, a D-HH pediatrician and expert on adolescent tobacco use prevention will brief members of Congress on Capitol Hill on Wednesday, and a multi-state campaign will be launched throughout communities D-HH serves.

“Dartmouth-Hitchcock is helping to open up the lines of communication between those who are most susceptible to vaping and their families by way of the ‘No Safe Vape’ campaign,” Dr. Joanne M. Conroy, CEO and President of Dartmouth-Hitchcock and Dartmouth-Hitchcock Health, said. “As the region’s largest academic health system, it is incumbent on us to share our knowledge and expertise while promoting the great work of so many local, regional and national organizations in this growing area of concern.”

One of the videos created especially for the campaign, filmed in a format similar to a social media recipe video, highlights the harmful chemicals contained inside a vape cartridge.

For more information about the dangers of vaping, visit https://go.d-h.org/NoSafeVape.

Newsletter