Warning for teachers, parents: Tobacco is changing and teens are the targets
Meet the next generation of addictive tobacco products
Beware: Electronic cigarettes, little cigars, smokeless products, sweet candy flavors, and new products designed to hide addiction in plain sight — the next generation of dangerous and deceptive tobacco products is here and doesn’t look anything like a pack of cigarettes.
Help for teens to quit
Teens can text VAPEFREEMO to 873373.
Or visit www.youcanquit.org for free help to quit using e-cigarettes of other tobacco products
Tobacco is developing new products and tactics so fast, it’s tough for parents to recognize tobacco when they see it, and even tougher to talk to children about the terrible damage tobacco products can do.
But that can change right here, says a new state campaign. It has to. Because the tobacco industry has already found ways to get around restrictions that banned a few flavored tobacco products and made it illegal to sell tobacco to anyone under 21.
Tobacco is changing, faster than ever, and parents need help catching up.
The campaign by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services and the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education has created a website to help teachers and parents fight back: tobaccoischangingmo.org.
Our teens are stressed. Nicotine makes it worse.
The stress Missouri teens feel is real. Around 70% of teens say mental health issues like anxiety and depression are a major problem for young people their age. They’re struggling to cope—and often turn to vapes and other addictive nicotine products that pretend to be “stress relievers” for help.
That’s a real problem, because studies shows that nicotine can actually make anxiety and depression worse. When teens vape, they stress more—so they vape more. It’s a dangerous loop that damages their mental health and can leave our kids with a lifelong addiction.
Fight back.
Go to tobaccoischangingmo.org and:
Learn the products
Understand tobacco tactics
Find more tips and resources
Take action