To the Editor:

As the school year begins, I want to remind parents that the tobacco industry continues to produce a variety of products to deliver nicotine, many of which are targeted at young people. Products such as e-cigarettes, also known as vapes, or e-hookah, come in flavors like bubblegum, chocolate and apple pie.

These products are sweet, cheap and easy for young people to get. They are commonly sold at convenience stores that young people visit. Some of these products may look fun or harmless but beware. These nicotine products are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, so there is no way of knowing the amount of nicotine or other chemicals they contain. This is important because nicotine is highly addictive and can produce chemical and structural changes in the adolescent brain that can lead to future addictions.

With a new school year underway, I encourage parents and teachers to look around to see what is being sold in your community and talk to children about the risks of these nicotine products. The Southeast Tobacco-Free Community Partnership encourages you to visit makesmokinghistory.org for more information about these products and how you can protect young people from nicotine addiction. Many communities are taking strong action to make these products less available to young people and we encourage concerned adults to support their local Board of Health in this important work. With coordinated action between parents, students and governing bodies, the next generation could be tobacco free.

Kathleen Wilbur
Southeast Tobacco Free Community Partnership