A nonprofit publication of the Kentucky Center for Public Service Journalism

NKY Health Department plans forum to educate the public on the dangers of youth e-cigarette use


The Northern Kentucky Health Department and other community partners are planning a forum titled, “Prevent the Next Generation of Addiction: A Forum to Stop Youth Vaping” to educate parents and those who work with youth on the dangers associated with youth e-cigarette use.

The event will take place on Thursday, January 23, from 6:30-8:30 p.m., at the Ignite Institute, located at 37 Atlantic Ave., Erlanger.

The event will feature a keynote presentation from a mother whose child was diagnosed with vaping-related lung illness. It will also include a panel of educators, physicians, and other professionals discussing how adults can talk with youth about not using e-cigarettes, what is being done at the state and regional levels to prevent youth e-cigarette use, and resources to help youth quit.

There will be an opportunity for questions at the end. For more information on the event, click here.

“The increase in youth e-cigarette use is alarming,” according to NKY Health’s District Director of Health, Lynne Saddler, MD, MPH. “Youth and parents need to know e-cigarette use is not harmless. Youth e-cigarette use increases the risk of addiction due to the high nicotine content in e-cigarette liquids. It can also lead to long-term harm to brain development and respiratory health.”

According to the 2018 Kentucky Incentives for Prevention Survey, 20.3 percent of Northern Kentucky 10th graders reported e-cigarette use in the past month, up from 7.7 percent in 2016.

In December, the Northern Kentucky Independent District Board of Health passed a resolution directing the Northern Kentucky Health Department to educate the public about the health risks associated with e-cigarettes, as well as advocate for policies that prevent e-cigarette use and provide resources to help people quit. For a copy of the resolution, click here.

The Northern Kentucky Health Department provides public health services to more than 400,000 residents of Boone, Campbell, Grant and Kenton Counties, with a goal of preventing disease, promoting wellness and protecting against health threats.

The Health Department seeks to be a nationwide leader in public health and was one of the first in the country to earn national public health accreditation. For more information, click here.

NKyHealth Department


Related Posts

Leave a Comment