Intervention Aroostook: 1.4.2022

PRESQUE ISLE, Maine (WAGM) -A new report is revealing some jarring statistics about Maine youth and vaping. Shawn Cunningham has more on this week’s Intervention Aroostook.

We know smoking cigarettes is a health hazard, It can cause all kinds of chronic health problems including heart disease or stroke...lung and throat cancer and ultimately an increased chance of death. MESSAGE RECEIVED. But apparently the same isn’t happening when it comes to vaping. The message there isn’t coming across clear at all...being hidden within a thick cloud of smoke says local drug prevention advocates..

Robin Thurston, Chair ACAP Drug Free Aroostook Coalition

“its the community health needs assessment and it shows a thirty day e cigarette or vaping usage among high school students increasing from 13.7 percent in 2017 to 27.7 %in 2019.”

Shawn Cunningham NO STANDUP

Why is that important even now as we’re just entering a New Year. Because says Thurston, its showing a jarring trend of increased usage among Maine youth including county youth.

She says its especially concerning because the products contain harmful toxins...

“there are a lot of myths about vaping like its just water based and its not there are heavy metals that are in vaping aerosol like lead.”

(TAKE GRAPHIC)

Elaine Sipe says the coalition and community partners continue to fight the good fight in providing education and awareness on the dangers of vaping. And its slowly catching on statewide. In fact, a recent poll indicates nearly two-thirds of Maine voters support a law that would end the sale of all flavored tobacco products in Maine. But Sipe says there remains some misconception..

Elaine Sipe

“I think its peer pressure some people think its cool to smoke I think also with covid people wanted to have something to relax you gonna make you feel better.”

As a result, Thurston says more kids are vaping and doing so with the products hidden in plain sight.

“its happening in the schools we’re seeing widespread usage in classrooms and in school bathrooms so easy to hide products and sometimes the adutls don’t know kids are using these products.”

Some adults may not know kids are using and she says some adults do, THEY THEM,SELVES thinking the products are harmless helping them kick the nicotine habit...meanwhile potentially hooking and addicting a whole new younger generation. Shawn Cunningham, NS 8.

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