Dear Parents and Guardians,

I am writing to share important information regarding an unhealthy and harmful trend growing in popularity with teenagers across the country and within Wayne County. The use of electronic cigarettes and vaporizers often referred to as “vaping” or “dripping”, has risen sharply over the past year. The use of these vaping devices is intended to be combined with flavored oils containing nicotine. In addition, teenagers have replaced the nicotine with illegal and dangerous substances.

We are seeking your partnership and support in promoting the health and safety of our children and encourage you to have a conversation with your child about the dangers of these vaping devices. The following materials and articles listed below provide additional information:

• To read the NYS Department of Health bulletin on the dangers of e-cigarettes and vaping to youth and adults, please go to: https://www.health.ny.gov/prevention/tobacco_control/campaign/e-cigarettes/.

• To read facts about e-cigarette use among youth and young adults from the Surgeon General’s report, please go to: https://e-cigarettes.surgeongeneral.gov/documents/2016_SGR_Fact_Sheet_508.pdf

According to recently passed New York State Legislation (S. 750/A. 611), the use of electronic cigarettes, as well as the use of vaporizer products and devices, is prohibited on all public and private school grounds in New York. It is important to be aware that students found in possession of such products will have them confiscated and receive a consequence as outlined in the Wayne Central School District Code of Conduct.

As always, please do not hesitate to contact district administration, our school counseling team and/or student support staff if additional information or support is needed.

Thank you for your attention and assistance in addressing this important issue.

Sincerely,

Mathis Calvin III, Ed. D. Superintendent of Schools

The Risks of E-cigarettes for Kids, Teens and Young Adults

What’s the Bottom Line on the Risks of E-cigarettes for Kids, Teens, and Young Adults?

• The use of e-cigarettes is unsafe for kids, teens, and young adults.

• Most e-cigarettes contain nicotine. Nicotine is highly addictive and can harm adolescent brain development, which continues into the early to mid-20s.

• E-cigarettes can contain other harmful substances besides nicotine.

• Young people who use e-cigarettes may be more likely to smoke cigarettes in the future.

What Are E-cigarettes?

• E-cigarettes are electronic devices that heat a liquid and produce an aerosol, or mix of small particles in the air.

• E-cigarettes come in many shapes and sizes. Most have a battery, a heating element, and a place to hold a liquid.

• Some e-cigarettes look like regular cigarettes, cigars, or pipes. Some look like USB flash drives, pens, and other everyday items. Larger devices such as tank systems, or “mods,” do not look like other tobacco products.

• E-cigarettes are known by many different names. They are sometimes called “e-cigs,” “e-hookahs,” “mods,” “vape pens,” “vapes,” “tank systems,” and “electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS).”

• Using an e-cigarette is sometimes called “vaping” or “JUULing.”

• JUUL is a brand of e-cigarette that is shaped like a USB flash drive. Like other e-cigarettes, JUUL is a battery-powered device that heats a nicotine-containing liquid to produce an aerosol that is inhaled.

• All JUUL e-cigarettes have a high level of nicotine. According to the manufacturer, a single JUUL pod contains as much nicotine as a pack of 20 regular cigarettes.2

• News outlets and social media sites report widespread use of JUUL by students in schools, including classrooms and bathrooms.

Why Is Nicotine Unsafe for Kids, Teens, and Young Adults?

• Most e-cigarettes contain nicotine—the addictive drug in regular cigarettes, cigars, and other tobacco products.

• Nicotine can harm the developing adolescent brain. The brain keeps developing until about age 25.

• Using nicotine in adolescence can harm the parts of the brain that control attention, learning, mood, and impulse control.

• Using nicotine in adolescence may also increase risk for future addiction to other drugs.

What Are the Other Risks of E-cigarettes for Kids, Teens, and Young Adults?

• Scientists are still learning about the long-term health effects of e-cigarettes.

• Some of the ingredients in e-cigarette aerosol could also be harmful to the lungs in the long-term. For example, some e-cigarette flavorings may be safe to eat but not to inhale because the gut can process more substances than the lungs.

• Defective e-cigarette batteries have caused some fires and explosions, a few of which have resulted in serious injuries.

• Children and adults have been poisoned by swallowing, breathing, or absorbing e-cigarette liquid through their skin or eyes.

What Is in E-cigarette Aerosol?

• E-cigarette aerosol is NOT harmless “water vapor.”

• The e-cigarette aerosol that users breathe from the device and exhale can contain harmful and potentially harmful substances, including: - Nicotine - Ultrafine particles that can be inhaled deep into the lungs - Flavoring such as diacetyl, a chemical linked to a serious lung disease - Volatile organic compounds - Cancer-causing chemicals - Heavy metals such as nickel, tin, and lead

• It is difficult for consumers to know what e-cigarette products contain. For example, some e-cigarettes marketed as containing zero percent nicotine have been found to contain nicotine.

Can Using E-cigarettes Lead to Future Cigarette Smoking Among Kids, Teens, and Young Adults?

• Many young people who use e-cigarettes also smoke cigarettes. There is some evidence that young people who use e-cigarettes may be more likely to smoke cigarettes in the future.

• Specifically, a 2018 National Academy of Medicine report found that there was some evidence that e-cigarette use increases the frequency and amount of cigarette smoking in the future.

• But e-cigarette use among young people is unsafe, even if they do not progress to future cigarette smoking.

TEACHERS AND PARENTS: That USB Stick Might Be an E-cigarette

Some e-cigarettes don’t look like tobacco products, so some kids use them unnoticed in schools, including in classrooms and bathrooms.

JUUL delivers a high dose of nicotine. Nicotine is highly addictive and can harm adolescent brain development.

LEARN MORE about the risks of e-cigarettes for youth and access tips for talking to youth at:

https://e-cigarettes.surgeongeneral.gov/resources.html

TOBACCO PRODUCT USE IN ANY FORM, INCLUDING E-CIGARETTES, IS UNSAFE FOR YOUTH.

An increasingly popular e-cigarette, called JUUL, is shaped like a USB flash drive.

E-cigarettes are the most commonly used tobacco product among U.S. middle and high school students.

Aren’t E-cigarettes Safer Than Cigarettes?

• E-cigarettes expose users to fewer harmful chemicals than burned cigarettes. But burned cigarettes are extraordinarily dangerous, killing half of all people who smoke long-term.

• The use of any tobacco product, including e-cigarettes, is unsafe for young people.

What Can I Do to Prevent My Child from Using E-cigarettes or to Help Them Stop?

• Talk to your child or teen about why e-cigarettes are harmful for them. It’s never too late.

• Set a good example by being tobacco-free. If you use tobacco, it’s never too late to quit. For free help, visit smokefree.gov or call 1-800-QUIT-NOW.

• Talk to your child or teen about why e-cigarettes are harmful for them. It’s never too late.

Fore more information on e-cigarettes, please visit the following links:

- Know the Risks – E-cigarettes & Young People (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services)

- The Real Cost (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services)

- Smokefree Teen – E-Cigarettes (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services)

- E-Cigarettes and Young People: A Public Health Concern (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

- The Flavor Trap: How Tobacco Companies are Luring Kids with Candy-Flavored E-cigarettes and Cigars. (American Academy of Pediatrics, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, American Heart Association/American Stroke Association, American Lung Association and Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids)

- Youth Cigarette Use at All-Time Low, Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS) Use Doubles (New York State Department of Health)

- Openness to Smoking Conventional Cigarettes and Openness to Using Electronic Cigarettes and Similar Devices among NYS Youth (New York State Department of Health)

- Use of Electronic Cigarettes and Similar Devices among NYS Youth, 2014‐2016 (New York State Department of Health)

11%

21%

7% 6%

2014 2016 2014 2016

E-cigarettesare the most commonlyused tobaccoproductamong youthin New York.3

E-cigarette use among New York youth doubled from 2014 to 2016 andis now triple the rate of e-cigarette use among New York adults

1 New York State Youth Tobacco Survey, 2014, 2016.2 New York State Adult Tobacco Survey, 2014, 2016.3 New York State Department of Health (2016). StatShot Vol. 10, No. 1/Mar 2017. Youth Cigarette Use at All‐Time Low, ENDS Use Doubles.

TOBACCO AND E-CIGARETTES

Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) are battery‐powered devices that heat a solution of liquid nicotine,

flavorings, and other chemicals creating an aerosolthat is inhaled by the user

E-cigarettes are not an FDA approved smoking cessation aid

The aerosol contains heavy metals, volatile organic compounds,

ultrafine particles, and other toxic chemicals in addition to nicotine

E-cigarette use can increase the risk of using tobacco cigarettes among youth and young adults

Adult E‐Cigarette Use Rates2Youth E‐Cigarette Use Rates1

1

Support a policy to ban the sale of flavored nicotine

used in e-cigarettes

Support a policy to restrict e-cigarette advertising to youth under the age of 18

83%

56%

63%of New Yorkers favor raising the minimum age to 21 to purchase

cigarettes, e-cigarettes and other tobacco products

All data on this page is from the New York State Chronic Disease Public Opinion Poll, 2016

New York adults support policiesthat would restrict youth access

to e-cigarettes

TOBACCO AND E-CIGARETTES

2

E-CIGARETTES SHAPED LIKE USB FLASH DRIVES:

INFORMATION FOR PARENTS, EDUCATORS, AND HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS

Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) are battery-powered devices that can deliver nicotine and flavorings to the user in the form of an aerosol.

E-cigarettes come in many shapes and sizes.

WHAT’S THE BOTTOM LINE?

A new e-cigarette shaped like a USB

flash drive is being used by students

in schools.

Nicotine is highly addictive and can

harm brain development,

which continues until about age 25.

The use of any tobacco product

— including e-cigarettes—is

unsafe for young people.

Parents, educators, & health care providers can

help prevent and reduce the use of all

tobacco products, including e-cigarettes,

by young people.

CS29

2347

-A

>> Learn HOW in this fact sheet.

AN INCREASINGLY POPULAR E-CIGARETTE DEVICE, CALLED JUUL, IS SHAPED LIKE A USB FLASH DRIVE.

MarkTen Elite PAX EraJUUL

Use of JUUL is sometimes called “JUULing.”

JUUL’s nicotine liquid refills are called “pods.” JUUL is available in several flavors such as Cool Cucumber, Fruit Medley, Mango, and Mint.

All JUUL e-cigarettes have a high level of nicotine. According to the manufacturer, a single JUUL pod contains as much nicotine as a pack of 20 regular cigarettes.

JUUL became available for sale in the United States in 2015. As of December 2017, JUUL is the top-selling e-cigarette brand in the United States.

News outlets and social media sites report widespread use of JUUL by students in schools, including in class-rooms and bathrooms.

Other devices are becoming available that look like USB flash drives. Examples include the MarkTen Elite, a nicotine delivery device, and the PAX Era, a marijuana delivery device that looks like JUUL.

E-CIGARETTE USE IS NOT SAFE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE.

E-cigarette aerosol is not harmless. It can contain harmful ingredients. However, e-cigarette aerosol generally contains fewer harmful chemicals than smoke from burned tobacco products, like regular cigarettes.

NICOTINE

ULTRAFINE PARTICLES

FLAVORING SUCH AS DIACETYL, A CHEMICAL LINKED TO

A SERIOUS LUNG DISEASE

CHEMICALSVOLATILE ORGANIC

COMPOUNDSHEAVY METALS SUCH AS NICKEL, TIN, AND LEAD

Most e-cigarettes contain nicotine,

which is highly addictive and can

harm brain development,

which continues until about age 25.

YOUNG PEOPLE WHO USE E-CIGARETTES MAY BE MORE LIKELY TO GO ON TO USE REGULAR CIGARETTES.

PARENTS, EDUCATORS, AND HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS CAN HELP PREVENT AND REDUCE THE USE OF E-CIGARETTES BY YOUNG PEOPLE.

PARENTS CAN: » Learn about the different shapes and types of e-cigarettes and the risks of all forms of e-cigarette use for young people.

» Talk to their children about the risks of e-cigarette use among young people. Express firm expectations that their children remain tobacco-free.

» Set a positive example by being tobacco-free.

EDUCATORS CAN: » Learn about the different shapes and types of e-cigarettes and the risks of all forms of e-cigarette use for young people.

» Develop, implement, and enforce tobacco-free school policies.

» Reject youth tobacco prevention programs sponsored by the tobacco industry. These programs have been found to be ineffective for preventing youth tobacco use.

PEDIATRIC HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS CAN:

» Ask about e-cigarettes, including devices shaped like USB flash drives, when screening patients for the use of any tobacco products.

» Warn patients about the risks of all forms of tobacco product use, including e-cigarettes, for young people.

PARENTS, EDUCATORS, AND

HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS CAN HELP

WHO IS USING E-CIGARETTES?

E-CIGARETTES ARE THE MOST COMMONLY USED TOBACCO PRODUCT AMONG YOUTH.

IN THE U.S., YOUTH ARE MORE LIKELY THAN ADULTS TO USE E-CIGARETTE

In 2018, more than

3.6 MILLIONU.S. middle and high school students used e-cigarettes in the past 30 days, including:4.9%

MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS

20.8%HIGH SCHOOL

STUDENTS

AMONG CURRENT E-CIGARETTE USERS AGED 45 YEARS AND OLDER in 2015, most were either current or former regular cigarette smokers, and 1.3% had never been cigarette smokers. IN CONTRAST, AMONG CURRENT E-CIGARETTE USERS AGED 18–24 YEARS,

40.0% had NEVER BEEN regular cigarette smokers

IN 2015, AMONG ADULT E-CIGARETTE USERS OVERALL:

58.8%were current regular cigarette smokers

11.4%had never been regular cigarette smokers

29.8%were former regular cigarette smokers

In 2017, 2.8%of U.S. adults were current e-cigarette users

WAYNE CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT6200 Ontario Center Road • Ontario Center, NY 14520

www.waynecsd.org