Governor Holcomb Releases Plan To Tackle Youth Vaping 

Vaping has exploded in popularity among Indiana's high school and junior high school-aged children.

(Fishers, Ind.) - Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb is tackling youth vaping in the Hoosier State. 

Data from the 2018 Indiana Youth Tobacco Survey found vaping among middle school students increased 358 percent since 2012. Among high schoolers, vaping is up 387 percent.

E-cigarettes, such as Juul, have grown in popularity among teens and young adults. It’s a trend experts attribute in part to the vaping products coming in a variety of flavors such as mint, candy, fruit and chocolate.

Speaking Thursday from a high school in Fishers, Holcomb says the increase in young people picking up nicotine products is staggering. 

“We know we have our work cut out for us,” said Holcomb. “Particularly because it is affecting so many of our younger folks, we have to get our arms around and reverse course on that.” 

Holcomb, Indiana State Health Commissioner Dr. Kris Box and other officials announced a new three-part plan to combat the surge.  It includes a new texting service for teens looking to quit, a state-wide prevention and public awareness campaign and a toolkit of information resources in schools for parents, staff and students. 

Vaping is a major problem for young Hoosiers. I’m proud to partner with @StateHealthIN to unveil a new state approach to reduce youth vaping. Thanks to @FishersHS for hosting us! pic.twitter.com/eTluL7hSgo

— Eric Holcomb (@GovHolcomb) August 29, 2019

The governor says prevention efforts are monumental for keeping kids healthy. Eighty-eight percent of the people who are smoking started before they were 18. Seventy-five percent of teenage smokers continue the habit into adulthood.

“It gets harder and harder and harder to stop. And so the best thing we can do is make sure they never start,” Holcomb observes.

According to the CDC, over 200 severe respiratory illnesses have been linked to vaping in the U.S.  and at least 24 cases were diagnosed in Indiana. 

The U.S. Surgeon General has labeled vaping among youth an epidemic. The Surgeon General’s office announced that according to its records, 30 percent of youth who regularly vape also use marijuana.

Box said vaping among Hoosier youth is putting thousands of them in harms way.

“Many young people think vaping is harmless, but one e-cigarette can contain the same amount of nicotine as an entire pack of cigarettes. As the number of hospitalizations rises, it’s clear that we need to help youth and parents better understand the health risks of these products before they become the next generation of smokers,” said Box.

More information on Vape Free Indiana is available at https://www.in.gov/isdh/tpc/2764.htm.