It’s morning. Do you reach for your phone or your vape first? One is filled with dance challenges, cute dog vids, and funny memes; the other, nicotine, a highly addictive chemical that can have seriously toxic effects on your mental and physical health. If you have that a.m. craving for your vape, you’re not alone. A study conducted by Truth Initiative found 82.3% of 18-to-24-year-old e-cigarette users vape within 30 minutes of waking up.
From hyping the “deliciousness” of fruit flavors to posting vape tricks on social media, e-cigarette companies bombard young vapers with unsavory ploys to get them hooked. For many, though, the gig is up. Another Truth Initiative survey found 60% of young e-cigarette users want to quit — and This Is Quitting, a free, text program from truth, provides support for how to stop.
If you’re thinking about your future, vaping may feel like a clingy, toxic friendship dragging you down. When you’re ready to move on, it can be hard, but you’ve already got an ally in your pocket: your smartphone, a powerful tool for getting you through the challenge.
Here’s why you may want to reach for your phone first thing in the morning for a dose of positivity and empowerment — instead of your vape.
This is Quitting: A quit vaping program to help teens and young adults
E-cigarette companies have used tech and pop culture to appeal to kids and teens — even putting influencers on their payroll. They have tried hard to reach you where you are, but so has This Is Quitting, designed to help 13-to-24-year-olds start their journey toward being nicotine-free. The program sends messages based on your age, your vape device, and where you are in your journey to quit. Text DITCHVAPE to 88709 to enroll.
You can quit on the down-low
If you feel embarrassed about vaping or unsure about telling people you’re quitting, you’re definitely not alone. It’s tough enough trying to quit without dealing with internal guilt trips. This Is Quitting is completely anonymous, which means even if you’re just curious, or you don’t feel comfortable talking to your loved ones about vaping, you don’t have to reveal or commit to anything. When you sign up for This Is Quitting, you get daily text messages, but there are also keywords for on-demand support when you need it — COPE, STRESS, or SLIP, for example.
You can find strength in community
Being young right now is pretty intense. You’re thinking about school, dealing with relationships, and deciding what you want to do and who you are — all of that on top of the ongoing stress of the COVID-19 pandemic. Vaping nicotine can also mess with your mental health, including amplifying symptoms of depression and anxiety. When you’re ready, This Is Quitting offers accountability, but it also provides support through interactive messages and advice from other young people who have quit or are trying at the same time.
There’s data to prove it works
In a randomized clinical trial published in JAMA Internal Medicine, quit rates were nearly 40% higher among young adult e-cigarette users aged 18-24 who used This is Quitting compared to a control group. The program showed powerful impact across different subgroups of users, regardless of age, gender, race and sexual orientation as well as including people with anxiety and depression, those with high levels of nicotine dependence, and people who reported smoking cigarettes or binge drinking.
It’s more important than ever
E-cig sales continue to soar even during the continuing COVID-19 pandemic. With vaping linked to a substantially increased risk of COVID-19 among teenagers and young adults, it’s more important than ever before to help young people quit. Truth Initiative — the organization behind the truth campaign and This is Quitting — recently hosted a virtual discussion, “Unvaping Ameria’s Youth,” on how to address the youth e-cigarette epidemic on all fronts. Check it out for info and inspiration on how quitting can improve your life.
Source : It’s OK to break up with your vape over text. Here’s why.
