By Dima Kulakov
Tuesday, May 3rd was the second annual national Anti-Vaping Awareness Day. This year, over 40,000 students at 40+ schools around Canada were reached.
The aim of the day is to educate youth on the dangers of vaping and share useful and non-judgemental resources (like self-assessment tools, apps, and helpful contacts) with those addicted.
Statistics have shown that, in general, teen vaping continues to become more popular (high school vaping is up 7% year over year). For this reason, it is crucial to educate youth about the dangers of vaping and the health risks involved. Such education has been proven to work in curbing vaping addiction and nicotine dependence. In fact, at UCC, since a survey done in 2019 (the same year the school’s anti-vaping awareness campaign was launched), student vaping has become less popular (although still a major issue).
Likewise, it is crucial to provide support for those addicted to vaping. Oftentimes, teens do not feel comfortable discussing such addictions with parents, teachers, etc. Thus, anonymous helplines and tools can be instrumental in taking steps towards quitting.
This year, schools and communities in Ontario, Quebec, B.C., the Prairies, and the Maritimes participated in the day. Partnering with Health Canada, Sick Kids, the Lung Health Foundation, the CN Tower, the Montreal Olympic Park, and Niagara Falls allowed the anti-vaping awareness message to reach as many youth as possible.
Attached below are an informational video on the topic, and a helpful app and self-assessment tool.
The Blue and White 