The Washtenaw County Health Department will use social media to target teens who may be addicted to or are considering using vaping products.
Through targeted ads on platforms such as Facebook and Instagram, the health department will remind high school students that e-cigarettes are not a safe alternative to smoking. Amanda Ng is the health promotion coordinator for the health department and says they decided to remind teens about the dangers of vaping because many students have returned to in-person instruction at school.
Amanda Ng: Using vaping products is a very social activity and for a lot of youth that is their access point as well, their peers.
A 2018 Michigan Profile for Healthy Youth report revealed that about 18% of Washtenaw County high school students had reported using vaping products in the past 30 days. The health department also offers a program called My Life, My Quit that offers free and confidential counseling to teens who need help to quit smoking. For more information, click here.
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— Jorge Avellan is a reporter for 89.1 WEMU News. Contact him at 734.487.3363 or email him javellan@emich.edu