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American Lung Association presents vaping and tobacco prevention programs to district; offers school resources
Summary
A health promotion specialist from the American Lung Association described youth vaping risks, local youth use data and available prevention and cessation programs for schools and families.
A health promotion specialist with the American Lung Association in Iowa briefed the Marshalltown school board on youth vaping and tobacco prevention programs, recent youth tobacco survey data and resources for classroom and parent education.
Emma Kropfel, American Lung Association health promotion specialist, said e‑cigarettes and related products are aerosol‑based devices that deliver nicotine, flavorings and other chemicals; she warned that many products are marketed and designed to appeal to youth and that products can be concealed to look like USB drives, key fobs or wearable devices. She described health risks including nicotine’s effects on adolescent brain development, ultrafine particles, volatile organic compounds and heavy metals.
Kropfel cited national youth survey figures showing more than 2.1 million U.S. youth currently use e‑cigarettes and that about 9 in 10 youth users report using flavored products. She said Iowa youth e‑cigarette use rose from 9% to 16.4% between 2017 and 2021 based on the state Youth Risk Behavior Survey and warned nicotine pouches and other newer products carry high nicotine levels and addiction risk.
The Lung Association presented a menu of programming that includes student activism chapters (iSTEP), the Stanford You & Me Together curriculum for middle and high school, online cessation programs such as My Life, My Quit, and classroom or alternative‑to‑suspension curricula for students who are caught vaping. Kropfel said the Lung Association has run pilots and presentations at Miller and Lenahan schools and offered quick‑starter kits and free materials for distribution.
Board members asked about parent outreach and THC education; the Lung Association representative said parent presentations are available and the Stanford curriculum includes a lesson that addresses marijuana‑based vaping products. The specialist said continued coordination with school nurses, counselors and community coalitions is part of the implementation plan.
District leaders said they will follow up to coordinate curricula, parent academy presentations and next‑year planning for prevention and cessation supports.
