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    Empower Vape-Free Youth: Start the Conversation, Protect Their Future

    Break the cycle of harmful silence. Equipping you, teachers​ and parents, to talk to kids about vaping and create a generation that chooses health.

    Vaping has become a widespread epidemic, infiltrating classrooms and bedrooms with candy-like flavors and false promises of coolness. But beneath the sleek pods and vibrant colors lies a dangerous truth: teen vaping is skyrocketing, and the health consequences are alarming.

    Teachers, parents, and guardians: you hold the power to change the narrative. By starting open, honest conversations, you can empower youth to resist peer pressure and make informed choices about their health.

    Here's how you can be the difference:

    For Teachers:

    • Become a vape-free champion: access free conversation-starters and educational resources.
    • Empower teens with facts: share the truth about nicotine addiction, lung damage, and the financial toll of vaping.
    • Create a supportive network: partner with parents to build a unified front against vaping in your school.

    For Parents/Guardians:

    • Open the door to dialogue: initiate conversations without judgment, listen actively, and build trust.
    • Know the signs: be aware of vaping paraphernalia, changes in mood or behavior, and unexplained respiratory issues.
    • Become a vape-free resource: d​ownload our resources for parents, featuring expert guidance and actionable tips.​

    Let's empower students to say 'no' to vapes and build a healthier future for everyone.​

    View resources​ for educators to help students avoid or quit vaping.

    Resources for Teachers and Parents

    Electronic Cigarettes – CDC –​ Get the facts about electronic cigarettes, their health effects and the risks of using e-cigarettes

    Empower Vape-Free Youth Campaign | Electronic Cigarette Use Among Youth | Youth & Tobacco Use | CDC - Educator Resources

    Resources for Professionals About Vaping & E-Cigarettes: A Toolkit for Working with Youth - FDA Toolkit for professionals working with youth

    CATCH My Breath​

    ​Parents Against Vaping (PAVe) - Parents Against Vaping e-Cigarettes is a grassroots community of passionate parents and concerned individuals committed to protecting children from the dangers of vaping and other flavored tobacco use.

    PAVe webinars in Pennsylvania – Parents Against Vaping (PAVe) partnered with the Pennsylvania Tobacco Prevention and Control Program to speak to a variety of audiences to share ways to take action in the community on the following topics:  

    • Tobacco industry's targeting of youth and the role of flavored products in the vaping epidemic and youth addiction  
    • New tobacco products/trends  
    • Signs of youth vaping, reasons teens vape  
    • Tips on how to speak with your child about vaping 
    • Tools and resources for parents and other adults who work with youth

    WEBINAR 1 – Advocacy
    WEBINAR 2 – Core Presentation
    WEBINAR 3 – Ask the Expert
    WEBINAR 4 – Core Presentation in Spanish​

    E-cigarette, or Vaping, Product  Associated Lung Injury (EVALI) Summary Report

    Guidance on the Safe Disposal of Vape Products

    The prevalence of youth vaping has impacted school operations in unexpected ways, and school personnel are navigating the burden of disposing of vapes that are confiscated from students or left on school property. Unfortunately, many school personnel may be unaware that vapes contain hazardous components that pose health and safety concerns for handling, storing, and disposing of the devices. Because vapes have properties that can be harmful to human health and the environment, they are considered hazardous waste when schools collect and discard them, and certain regulatory standards must be followed to minimize health and environmental harms. The Vape Disposal Resource Guide for Pennsylvania Schools includes step-by-step guidance to help school personnel follow best management practices for handling, storing, and disposing of vapes to mitigate school safety concerns and comply with both state and federal hazardous waste regulations.

    For questions related to this guide, please email the Department of Health, Division of Tobacco Prevention and Control, at RA-DHVaping@pa.gov.