Did you know that 90% of people who smoke start before the age of 18? Studies show that because the teen brain is still developing, youth are more vulnerable to nicotine addiction. Tobacco companies know this, and have a long history of targeting youth to get a new generation of people hooked on their deadly products. According to the U.S. Surgeon General, tobacco use remains the leading cause of preventable death and disease in the United States and world. In the U.S. alone, cigarette smoking causes almost 500,000 deaths each year. There are a variety of ways youth can get involved in ending the tobacco epidemic and helping Jeffco be tobacco-free!

Need Help with Quitting?

Talk to a parent/guardian, doctor, school counselor or other trusted adult to learn about ways to never start tobacco or, if you use tobacco, how to quit today. Quitting isn’t easy, but it can be done and the health benefits of quitting start as quickly as 20 minutes after your last cigarette. There are several helpful, free resources that are designed just for teens who are ready to quit tobacco.

• Not On Tobacco (N-O-T) Program:  An American Lung Association program designed for teens who smoke/vape. The 8-10 session group-format is facilitated by someone who has completed a training on the curriculum and how to support youth through the quitting process. Talk to your school counselor to find out if your school is offering this or another program to help youth quit. 
• MyLifeMyQuit.com: Text “Start My Quit” to 855-891-9989 or call. The My Life, My Quit program is a free and confidential for teens who want help quitting all forms of tobacco including vaping. By enrolling, teen participants receive:
  • Five, one-on-one coaching sessions usually scheduled every 7-10 days. Coaching helps teens develop a quit plan, identify triggers, practice refusal skills and receive ongoing support for changing behaviors.
  • Coaches available by phone, by text message or by online chat.
  • Self-help and educational materials designed for teens, with input from teens.
• This is Quitting: A free text-based cessation program offered by The Truth Initiative to help young people quit tobacco. Text text DITCHJUUL to 887-09 to get started.
• Smokefree Teen/quitStart: Smokefree Teen is part of the National Cancer Institute’s (NCI) Smokefree.gov initiative. Smokefree Teen helps teens stop using tobacco by providing information grounded in scientific evidence and offering free tools that meet teens where they are—on their mobile phones. Their text messaging program can help teens quit smoking, and the quitSTART app helps teens become smoke free by providing helpful strategies for tackling cravings, bad moods, and other situations where teens may smoke. to get started.

Additional Resources and Ways to Be Tobacco-Free

• Find out more about the tobacco industry’s dirty secrets and how to build a resolve to quit and stay quit. This includes games, videos and other fun youth-focused resources encouraging tobacco-free living: TheTruth.com.
• Don’t let tobacco control you. Learn about the Real Cost of tobacco here: TheRealCost.BeTobaccoFree.hhs.gov/.
• Quit chew, dip or other forms of smokeless tobacco by visiting: MyLastDip.com and ChewFree.com.
• Find helpful fact sheets and information on Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.
• For information on the health impacts of tobacco, tobacco industry tricks, what’s in smoke and more, visit: TobaccoIsNasty.com.
• Learn the truth about electronic smoking devices here: TobaccoIsNasty.com/tin/vape-is-nasty.

Tobacco Prevention Media Campaigns in Jeffco