Colorado Department of Education (CDE) Shares Resources to Address Electronic Cigarettes

On October 2 CDE shared the following update in a newsletter to all school administrators. The use of electronic cigarettes continues to be a serious problem in Colorado and the nation. Resources are available to help address nicotine vaping, e-cigarette and other tobacco use among Colorado youth. E-cigarette use is not safe, especially for young people. Nicotine is highly addictive and can harm brain development. The U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams declared youth e-cigarette use an epidemic and encourages parents, teachers and lawmakers to take action. The following are immediate actions that schools can take to help reduce tobacco use:

1. Strengthen and Communicate and Enforce Tobacco-Free Schools Policies
2. Provide Reliable and Accurate Education about Vaping
3. Promote Quitting among Students and Staff
4. Lend your voice to community efforts to reduce easy access to tobacco products among youth

Read the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment's Tobacco Free Schools Enforcement Strategies (PDF).

The announcement highlights recommended enforcement strategies. We encourage LHA grantees to share the full

CDPHE Letter

including resources for educating students about the harms of using any tobacco product and free cessation resources. Please also encourage the schools in your area to participate in community efforts to address the youth vaping epidemic.

The associated files and links are available below.