In 2018, over 3.5 million high school students in the United States regularly used e-cigarettes. With numbers growing each year, many wonder how to help at-risk teens stop using tobacco products.
Following a San Francisco ban on the sale of e-cigarettes, National Jewish Health — one of the leading respiratory hospitals in the U.S — released its new program this morning called My Life, My Quit
Starting July 1, high school teens who want to quit vaping can call or text a toll-free "quitline" (1-855-891-9989) to speak with a trained professional. Teens can also log online to mylifemyquit.com to chat with a personalized youth coach to build a quit plan to become free from nicotine. Also included in the My Life, My Quit program are educational materials designed specifically for teens created through focus groups, subject matter experts and community stakeholders. Throughout the entire quite process, participants will also receive encouraging, ongoing text messages. At the end of the program, participants will recieve a certificate of participation.
Thomas Ylioja, Ph.D, the associate clinical director of health initiatives at National Jewish Health, said My Life, My Quit can potentially help teens cope with stress, get through high-pressure social situations and eventually develop a tobacco-free life.
“This comprehensive, new program combines the best practices for youth tobacco cessation adapted to include vaping and new ways for teens to reach our quit coaches using real-time text messaging and online chat,” Ylioja said. “While there are similarities, the teen quit experience is very different from the adult experience. This program allows us to meet teens where they are, to communicate with them via channels they are comfortable with and to support them through their quit journey. Our coaches emphasize that the decision to quit is personal, and they help teens identify strategies to help them cope with stress, navigate social situations and support developing a tobacco-free identity.”
The My Life, My Quit youth cessation program will take place in nine existing National Jewish Health QuitLogix state partners: Colorado, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Utah. This program is free too all teens in each of the designated states.