New Brunswick, N.J. April 28, 2022 – According to the American Cancer Society,  e-cigarette use among high school students rose from 11.7 percent in 2017 to 19.6 percent in 2020, and in middle school students from 0.6 percent in 2017 to 4.7 percent in 2020. The American Cancer Society also reports that preventing the use of tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, is a very important step to help keep kids healthy and to help stop the tobacco epidemic. Monica Gilles, MAS, RRT, NCTTP, tobacco treatment coordinator at Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, discusses e-cigarettes, tobacco use, and youth tobacco prevention efforts.

 Take Down Tobacco Day of Action, being celebrated on April 1, is an annual campaign to educate young people on the harmful effects of tobacco use, including vaping. Monica Gilles is available for additional comment on this topic.