New Years Resolutions: American Lung Association launching programs to help teen quit vaping in 2022

DOVER, De- If you are a teen nicotine user, the American Lung Association wants to make it easier to make that a New Years’ resolution for 2022.

The Association says 1 out of every 5 high school students uses vape products, and that these products can be hard to kick, because of how prevalent they are in social settings and how easy they are to conceal.
That’s why the ALA is launching the “Not For Me” Group services program so teens who are quitting vaping know they’re not doing it alone and can be offered help, coping mechanisms, and counseling services.
The ALA says knowing how to tackle those vape cravings head-on is key. They say it’s normal to feel urges that trigger a desire to use nicotine products, and they want teens to know those can be managed and handled until they begin to disappear.

“The urge for nicotine lasts less than 5 minutes or less before your nicotinic receptors release dopamine into the brain to serve as that feel-good chemical, to get through that urge for teens doing an app game on your phone and not dosing yourself can in fact get you through that urge or craving,” said National Senior Director of Tobacco Programs Jennifer Folkenroth.

She says that even holding a cinnamon stick can help mimic some of the patterns of vape use and help teens to cut down on the urge. Folkenroth tells us she wants teens to know no one deserves to struggle alone against addiction and more info and programming can be found on their website.