Tobacco, Vaping, & Substance Use

A healthy school can help to prevent substance use. Schools can provide students with the knowledge and skills needed to make healthy choices. A supportive environment helps promote healthy choices among students.

Resources

Vaping Prevention Handbook for Schools: This resource gives educators tools to teach youths about vaping and activity ideas that can be led by student groups in your school. It also outlines supportive approaches for addressing smoking or vaping among youth on school property, along with providing resources to support those who wish to quit or reduce their nicotine use.

Pig Lung Demonstration Toolkit (Grades 4-8): The pig lung demonstration kit is a resource to support educators to teach students about the effects of smoking on the lungs so they can make informed decisions to support their health and well-being. *The toolkit contains preserved pig’s lungs (one healthy lung and one affected by years of smoking) to show students the anatomy and physiology of a non-smoker’s lung and a smoker’s lung damaged by cancer and emphysema.

Vaping Cessation Mobile Applications (Apps):

Stop Vaping Challenge (#StopChallenge): A free app that motivates youth to consider their nicotine intake and vaping behaviours and patterns in a fun, social way. It encourages quitting with friends. Key features include a tab for inviting friends, tracking mood and cravings, recording photo and video memories, and finding appropriate local resources on quitting vaping. Note, this app is only currently available in English.

Crush the Crave – Vape Edition: A free evidence-informed, comprehensive, full-featured app aimed to help youth quit vaping. It tracks the number of days vape-free, money saved, as well as triggers and craving. This app also provides supportive messages and inspirational photos for quitting vaping, a personalized quit plan, performance feedback, virtual awards for achieving milestones, help for dealing with cravings, and links to other resources. Note, this app is only currently available in English.

Quash: Free and easy to use. Youth and young adults can design a personalized quit plan, earn badges, receive motivational messages, access tips and tools, and additional resources. It is bilingual, powered by the Lung Health Foundation (LHF) designed with and for youth, to help youth and young adults quit vaping and smoking! The website provides links and more information about the Quash app. It also has the adult ally training program, resources, and a wide range of promotional assets to share Quash across your networks.

• Adult Ally Training: A free, online, self-guided training course. It consists of six modules, for adults interested in delivering the Quash program to young people they work with. Note, this training is not currently available in French.

Youth Wellness Initiatives

The Youth Wellness Initiatives is a peer-led initiative focusing on mental wellness promotion, substance use prevention and seeks to start discussions around mental health while decreasing stigma.

What School Staff Need to Know About Vaping and E-Cigarettes

There is a good chance that your students have been or will be exposed to vaping or e-cigarette products. As an adult, you play a key role in helping them make good decisions. This resource will give you need-to-know information about vaping so that you are better prepared to talk with your students.