Your Life, Your Lungs,
Your Future
The real facts about vaping, nicotine pouches, and what they mean for your health, freedom, and future.
The Truth About Vaping & Nicotine
No marketing spin. No scare tactics. Just facts to help you make informed choices.
Nicotine Is Highly Addictive
Nicotine can harm the parts of an adolescent's brain that control attention, learning, mood, and impulse control. Most vapes and nicotine pouches contain nicotine - even when they claim they don't.
Adolescent brains are still developing, and nicotine exposure has been linked with cognitive deficits and impairment in memory and executive function.
Learn More"Tobacco-Free" ≠ Risk-Free
Zyn nicotine pouches contain high levels of nicotine which is incredibly addictive and harmful to young people in any form. Many products marketed as "clean" or "tobacco-free" still damage your health.
According to the American Dental Association, regular use of nicotine packets like Zyns can lead to addiction, eventually impair brain development in teenagers, and increase your blood pressure and heart rate, leading to cardiovascular issues in the long term.
Learn MoreDesigned to Target You
Experts express concern about how easy nicotine pouches are to conceal and the variety of flavors offered—peppermint, coffee, and citrus, to name a few—that make them appealing to kids.
Equally concerning, among students who reported current e-cigarette use in 2024, 38.4% reported frequent use and 26.3% reported daily use. This isn't random - it's designed to make you dependent.
Learn MoreThe Numbers Tell the Story
Youth who currently use e-cigarettes in 2024
Middle and high school students who reported current nicotine pouch use
Current e-cigarette users who use them frequently
Students who currently use e-cigarettes reported wanting to quit
Source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA), National Youth Tobacco Survey (NYTS), 2020-2024
Your Developing Brain & Nicotine: What's Actually Happening
Rapid Brain Development
Exposure to nicotine during adolescence can cause addiction and damage to the developing adolescent brain, lungs, and overall health. Your brain continues developing until your mid-20s.
Rewiring Your Reward System
Nicotine can harm the parts of an adolescent's brain that control attention, learning, mood, and impulse control. This affects your ability to focus, feel good naturally, and make decisions.
Gateway to Long-term Use
Children and adolescents who vape are more than twice as likely to smoke cigarettes. What starts as "just trying it" often leads to lifetime addiction.
Different Products, Similar Risks
The nicotine industry keeps changing — but the risks stay the same.
E-Cigarettes & Vapes
Battery-powered devices that heat a liquid into vapor — usually with nicotine, toxic chemicals, and fine particles harmful to the lungs.
Nicotine Pouches (Zyn)
Tiny pouches placed under the lip — packed with nicotine and often cancer-causing chemicals, but sold as “tobacco-free.”
Disposable Vapes
Single-use devices like Elf Bars — easy to hide, packed with high nicotine, and contributing to massive e-waste.
How They're Targeting You
These products aren't randomly popular - there's a sophisticated marketing machine behind them.
Candy Flavors
E-cigarette marketing, the availability of flavored products, social influences, and the effects of nicotine can influence youth to start or continue vaping.
Think about it: Why would adults need vapes and pouches that taste like cotton candy, fruit cereal, or bubblegum?
Social Media "Influencers"
Vaping advocates on Twitter used tweets by the FDA about e-cigarette regulation to spread anti-regulatory messages.
For example, #ZYN reached 700 million views on TikTok alone as of early 2024 with the help of ZYNfluencers – a term coined for social media influencers who promote ZYN.
Discreet & Concealable
Experts express concern over how easy nicotine pouches are to hide, along with the variety of flavors that make them even more appealing to kids.
Voices from Your Peers
Hear from real teens about their experiences with vaping and quitting.
Jamie, 17
Started vaping at 15, quit 6 months ago
"I started vaping because everyone at school was doing it. I thought it was just flavored vapor - no big deal. But within weeks I noticed I couldn't go a few hours without getting anxious and irritable. Quitting was way harder than I expected."
"The worst part was how it affected my swimming. I used to be one of the fastest on the team, but after a year of vaping, my lung capacity tanked. It took months after quitting to get back to where I was."
Miguel, 16
Used nicotine pouches for 8 months
"I started using Zyn pouches because they seemed cleaner than vaping - no smoke, totally hidden. I could use them literally anywhere - in class, at home, even at the dinner table with my parents."
"What I didn't expect was the money. I was spending $50+ a week on pouches. And the headaches when I tried to stop were brutal. It took three attempts before I finally quit for good."
Help is Available
Most teens who vape or use nicotine products want to quit. Here's how to get started.
Text-to-Quit Programs
Free, anonymous support via text message with tips, motivation, and advice from peers.
Text "DITCHVAPE" to 88709Talk to a Healthcare Provider
Doctors can help with quit plans and may recommend cessation medications if appropriate.
Find Healthcare ResourcesThis is Quitting Program
A free, anonymous quit vaping program created by Truth Initiative specifically for young people.
Join the ProgramReady to Break Free?
Take the first step toward a nicotine-free life. It's not about willpower - it's about having the right support.
Facts About Vaping & Nicotine
Download and share these resources to help spread awareness about vaping and nicotine risks.
Vaping Fact Sheet
2025 Edition
The Truth About Vaping & Nicotine
This comprehensive fact sheet provides the latest research and evidence about vaping, nicotine pouches, and what they really mean for teen health.
Perfect for classrooms, health offices, and parent education sessions.
How To Use This Resource
For Parents, Educators & Teens
Ways To Use The Fact Sheet
- For Educators: Use in health classes, advisory periods, or as a discussion starter during parent-teacher meetings.
- For Parents: Read together with your teen, display on the refrigerator, or share with other parents.
- For Teens: Share facts with friends who might be considering vaping, use for school projects, or start conversations.
Clear the Air Brochure
Resource Guide for Parents
Clear the Air About Vaping
A downloadable resource guide for parents and caregivers of Douglas County youth. Learn how to support teens, understand vaping risks, and start impactful conversations.
Designed for easy sharing with schools, families, and community groups.