The I Just Didn’t Know peer education campaign is designed to debunk the false beliefs held by many adolescents and teens that using e-cigarettes is either harmless or at least healthier for them than smoking. The campaign launched with four 30-second PSAs (available on YouTube), as well as a website and an Instagram page. It features Kentucky youth sharing the truths they have learned about the health risks of using e-cigarettes or vapes.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, e-cigarettes and vapes are not safe for youth and young adults. They contain nicotine which is highly addictive and can harm adolescent brain development and also lead to smoking and other addictions. They also contain particles and toxins that can cause cancer and lung damage. Yet, youth use of e-cigarettes and vaping doubled in Kentucky from 2016 to 2018 and the rates are much higher than the national averages. More than one in four 12th graders and one in seven 8th graders in Kentucky used e-cigarettes in 2018, compared to one in five high schoolers and one in 20 middle schoolers nationally.
We encourage schools throughout Kentucky to incorporate them into events and activities, such as parent nights, athletic events, assemblies, classroom activities and health fairs. Please use the links below to share the information.
