John Collins recalls puffing on his first vape during his freshman year in high school. A senior offered it to him, and he said he wanted to “look cool”.
“I took it with me to the bathroom and just blew out the smoke kind of like a dragon,” Collins, recounted.
But his addiction didn't unfold until the following year when high school got tough. Collins said the first thing he did every morning was hit his vape.
“Wherever I went my colorful vape stick came with me too,” he said.
The current high school senior recollects every moment he would feed his addiction: passing time between school periods, after school while doing his homework, while on the phone with friends, and even in his bathroom at home.
Collins was eventually suspended from school for vaping, and his parents signed him up for the University of Rochester Vape Escape group program where he received weeks of support, therapy, and materials to help him recover.
“It was so great to be able to talk to the doctor and not get judged for my personal mistakes,” Collins said.
The state now wants to expand vaping prevention programs like Vape Escape and help more youths like Collins. The Finger Lakes region will receive roughly $7 million dollars to aid in this campaign.
“We can empower our young people to truly understand the consequences of their actions, so that they can make well informed choices about their health,” said Dr. Susan Gasparino, UR Medicine Vape Escape facilitator.
The money is a fraction of the settlement received by the state Attorney General's Office from a lawsuit against vape maker JUUL for deceptive marketing towards young children.
“For years JUUL deliberately hid the health risks of its products behind clouds of smoke,” Attorney General Letitia James said. “These funds will be used for education prevention research and enforcement programs to prevent children and young adults from vaping.”
James said one in four high school students in New York State has reported vaping nicotine. She hopes that the campaign “will help young people quit vaping altogether.”
The money will also be used to support local law enforcement to ensure that vaping laws and regulations are enforced, James said.
