Montgomery County Council approves $1.67 million appropriation for youth vaping and substance-use programs

Montgomery County Council approved a special appropriation of $1,672,848 on Jan. 23 to fund youth vaping and nicotine-addiction response programs using proceeds from the JUUL and Altria settlement.

The dollars — part of settlement receipts the county expects to total roughly $4.15 million when all payments arrive — will support a set of county-run and community programs aimed at prevention, outreach and treatment for youth, with an emphasis on Black and Latino youth in identified high-impact ZIP codes including Aspen Hill, Wheaton and parts of Silver Spring.

Why it matters: County public health officials told the council that while drug-induced deaths in Montgomery County fell in 2024, youth overdose counts remain a priority for prevention and services. “We had 83 fatal overdoses in calendar year 24. 48 included fentanyl,” Montgomery County Health Officer Dr. Keesha Davis said during the presentation. "We saw 40% decrease in fatal overdoses and a 52% decrease in fentanyl." Officials said youth-specific fatality counts are suppressed in public datasets when under 11 and that nonfatal emergency responses offer a clearer signal of youth substance involvement.

What the appropriation will fund: The approved package includes direct awards already identified and a competitive community grants process: - $250,000 proposed for RecMode (youth mentorship…