Lancaster County launches program to help young people quit vaping

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – A text message-based program is now available in Lancaster County to help teens and young adults quit vaping.

This is Quitting is a free and anonymous program designed for teens and young adults that provides tailored advice, cognitive and behavioral coping strategies and social support to help them stop using e-cigarettes.

Tobacco Free Lancaster County and Lincoln Public Schools have created “engaging messaging” about the program, Sophia Yelkin, a health educator at the Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department, said in a press release.

Young people in Lancaster County who want to quit vaping can enroll in the program by texting “GHOSTVAPE” to 88709.

Nearly 20% of high school students use e-cigarettes, according to the 2020 National Youth Tobacco Survey.

A separate survey found that 60% of e-cigarette users between 15 and 24 want to quit within the year. More than half of those who want to quit agreed that texting would help them stop vaping.

“This is Quitting is meeting a need for hundreds of thousands of young people through a channel they’re comfortable with and use every day,” said Dr. Amanda Graham of Truth Initiative.

This is Quitting is part of Truth Initiative, a national campaign to reduce youth smoking, vaping and nicotine addiction.

Parents of young people who vape can get support at BecomeAnEX.org or by texting QUIT to 202-899-7550.