NICOTINE

=

BRAIN

POISONHow to protect your kids.

UNDO.org

THE
RUNDOWN
The tobacco industry uses addictive, poisonous nicotine to hook kids
on its products. Nicotine is especially dangerous for young people’s
developing brains, putting them at risk for a lifetime of addiction totobacco and other substances, mental and physical health problems,and permanent changes to the brain.
Use this guide to help you keep your kids safe from nicotine products
like vapes and pouches. Share it with parents, school leaders, andother decision makers. You’ll find resources for helping teens quit
and a list of telltale signs of nicotine use. Get advice for talking tokids about nicotine addiction, find out how schools are combating
the problem, and learn how to help your community fight back against
the powerful tobacco industry.

CLICK TO JUMPCALIFORNIA’S FLAVORED TOBACCO LAW
KNOW THE SIGNS OF NICOTINE USE
TIPS FOR TALKING WITH TEENSBE PREPARED FOR EXCUSESHELP KIDS UNCOVER THE FACTS
WHAT IF MY TEEN IS ADDICTED?
WHAT SCHOOLS ARE DOING ABOUT THE PROBLEM
SOURCES*CALIFORNIA’S FLAVORED TOBACCO LAW
2022 law ends the sale of flavored tobaccoEnds the sale of most flavored tobacco, including vapes
and menthol cigarettes, at retailers.

Does not apply to the sale of flavored shisha/hookah,premium cigars over $12, and loose-leaf pipe tobacco.

Protects kids from the tobacco industry’s flavored death- anddisease-causing products.

Does not apply to the sale of flavored tobacco
products online.

Because this new law includes menthol cigarettes, it protects
communities that have been ruthlessly targeted andkilled by the tobacco industry for decades – like the African
American/Black community.
Holds the tobacco industry accountable. Violations will
result in a penalty and fines for tobacco retailers who sell
these products.
Protects communities of color from further police harassment.
The law was intentionally written to focus on the sale offlavored tobacco products, and it does not punish or criminalize
individuals for possession, use or purchase.

KNOW
THE
SIGNS OFNICOTINE
USE

Are there sweet, fruity, menthol, or
chemical smells coming from behindclosed doors?

Is your teen spending more money
than usual or making unexplained
online purchases?

Are there flash drives or other schoolsupplies you don’t recognize in yourkid’s backpack or room? How about
small vials, eye dropper bottles, pods,
or white pouches—items related tooral nicotine products?

Have there been changes in yourkid’s behavior such as increasedmood swings, irritability, anxiety,impulsivity, or learning difficulties?

Have you come across unfamiliar
USB chargers, batteries, wrappers,or circular plastic containers?

Is your teen suffering from more
frequent headaches or nausea?

TIPS FOR TALKING WITH TEENSLISTEN
Despite the California flavored tobaccoban, teens can buy nicotine products likeflavored vapes and other oral nicotine
products online. Whether or not they’ve
tried them, your kids will benefit from agood talk. And a good talk starts withlistening. Let the kids tell you what it’s liketo be surrounded by teens who vape or
use oral nicotine pouches. These starter
questions are a simple way in:
Do you have friends who vape?
Are you curious about it?
Have you been offered a vape?
How about a nicotine pouch?
Have you tried it?
If so, what made you say yes?
If not, what made you say no?
As kids move through middle and highschool, they’ll face new challenges.
Support them every step of the way bykeeping the conversation going. Did you
ever feel pressured to smoke? You could
talk about your experience, including
how hard it was for you to quit. An open
dialogue is far more effective than one
big lecture.

BLAME FLAVORSAND ONLINE ACCESSTALKSCIENCE

LEARN
MORE

Most high school kids in CA say they use
vapes because they like the flavors. Plus,
flavored nicotine products like vapes andpouches are available online. Yet thechemicals the tobacco industry uses tocreate those flavors may damage yourlungs, too. Some flavors may increase thelikelihood of addiction by messing withdopamine, the brain’s "feel-good"chemical. Help kids understand that byhooking them on flavors, including
menthol, the tobacco industry profits.

The main things kids (and adults) know
about nicotine is that it’s addictive. But
addiction is only the beginning. Teensshould understand that nicotine is brain
poison. It changes the way connections
form in the brain, making it harder forkids to learn and pay attention. As if teenyears weren’t hard enough, nicotine canalso increase anxiety, mood swings, andirritability. Getting hooked on nicotine
puts kids at risk for addiction to othersubstances, too.

Visit PAVe (Parents Against Vaping ecigs) for a fact-filled toolkit and links to
helpful websites and videos.
Use Stanford’s anti-vaping toolkit to get
downloadable presentations,worksheets, and activity guides.
Get the California Department of
Education’s e-cigarette toolkit.
Get tips from the U.S. Surgeon Generalon how to talk to your kids about vaping.

BE PREPARED FOR EXCUSES
Kids are getting a ton of misinformation about vaping and other nicotine products
online. Here’s how parents can respond to some common excuses.

KID:

KID:

KID:

KID:

ADULT:ADULT:ADULT:ADULT:

It’s not mine.

I hope it’s not yours, but I get thatyou might be tempted to try
vaping or pouches. I’m worriedbecause nicotine products are
addictive and can change the way
your brain works. Plus, I know the
tobacco industry makes vapesthat look like flash drives sothey’re easy to hide. It’s not that I
don’t trust you, but you should
know that I’m paying attention.

Vaping is safer
than smoking.

There’s actually nothing safe
about vaping. It’s not water vapor
like some people think. The vapor
is actually aerosol that contains
metals, particulates, and toxic
chemicals. And many vapes use
nicotine salts rather than regularnicotine. Salts are inhaled moreeasily and absorbed faster thanregular nicotine.

Nicotine’s just alittle buzz.

Nicotine does release a chemicalcalled dopamine in the brain,
which might make you feel good
temporarily. But don’t be tricked.
Nicotine is a neurotoxin, whichmeans it’s a poison that affects
the brain. When you’re young andyour brain is still developing,
nicotine can do lasting, evenpermanent, damage.

It’s not nicotine. It’s justwater and flavors.

It’s not obvious to kids, or evengrownups, that something thattastes minty, fruity, or sweet isactually an addictive drug that
can have long-term effects on a
kid’s developing brain. The
chemicals the tobacco industry
uses to create those flavors may
damage your lungs, too.

HELP KIDS UNCOVER THE FACTS
Help kids see for themselves how the tobacco industry
deliberately preys on them.

GOOGLEIT
Teens are digital natives, and aquick Google search will show
them how the tobacco industry has
marketed vapes to kids. Seeing how
companies set out to trick kids into
vaping might trigger your teen’s
BS radar.

Here are some of the tobacco
industry’s marketing tricks todiscuss with kids:
Youthful models
Their body language
Their outfits
Sex appeal
The colorful, trendy backgrounds
Hashtags all over social media
Sponsored content frominfluencers
Ask teens to decide for themselves
who they think these companies
are trying to reach. Chances are,they’ll spot the hypocrisy in a flash.

HISTORYREPEATING

BIG KIDS
UNITE

Teens (and adults) might besurprised to learn the tobacco
industry has a decades-long historyof trying to market to kids. In the70s, the federal government
mandated that cigarettecommercials be taken off the air.
In the 90s, the cartoon “Joe Camel”
was abolished. In 2009, flavoredcigarettes (except menthol) werefederally banned. And in 2019, newrestrictions were put in place by the
FDA, albeit with dangerous
loopholes. Visit the Smithsoniansite to give teens a glimpse of
the past and to show them how
the vape industry is using Big
Tobacco’s playbook.

Maybe teens want a shot at
impacting the epidemic
themselves. With more and morekids vaping, high schoolers could
model safe behavior. Connect with
California’s Friday Night Live forideas on how teens can tackle thishealth topic. Or have teens reachout to their school administrators orcounselors for other ways to get
involved. It could be a science orhealth project, or it could beapplied to community service
hours. Ask your teens if they’d
be up for putting their leadershipskills to work for California’s
greater good.

WHAT IF MY TEENIS ADDICTED?
CALL OR TEXTA HELPLINEDOWNLOAD
AN APPENLIST THE
PEDIATRICIANBESUPPORTIVE

Kick It California connects yourkid (or you) to a trained Quit Coach.
Text “I Can Quit” to 66819
or call 800-300-8086.

This Is Quitting is a text-message
support app for teens. Text
“DITCHVAPE” to 88709.

Ask your pediatrician to talk about
nicotine dangers with your teen.
Doctors often explain things in a
way kids will listen.

Quitting is hard. As many nicotine
addicts and recovering addicts willtell you, it usually takes more than
one try. Keep encouraging andempathizing with your teen. Reward
the incremental progress andaccept the setbacks as part of theprocess.

My Life My Quit connects kids witha supportive, knowledgeable coach.
Text “Start My Quit” to855-891-9989 or call.

Smoke Free Teen has tools forquitting, including what to expect
during the first few days.
The Kick It Quit app creates
customized quit plans.

Get more tips and resources forsupporting a loved one’s quitting
journey from the California
Department of Public Health.

WHAT SCHOOLS ARE DOINGABOUT THE PROBLEM
ADMINISTRATORSSTAFFSTUDENTS

PARENTS

Enforcing a tobacco-free policythat includes vapes and oral
nicotine products in the definitionof “tobacco product” and laying out
enforcement and other
implementation procedures. See
the California Department of
Education’s Comprehensive
Tobacco-Free School Policy
Toolkit for more information.

Educating teachers, counselors,
nurses, coaches, custodians, andother staff so they know what thedifferent nicotine products look like.
They are changing all the time.

Engaging students in media
literacy to counter the tobacco
industry’s influence.

Hosting virtual or in-person
informational parent nightsfeaturing public health experts,
local doctors, and law enforcement
representatives.

Sharing resources such as thisprintable guide or undo.org/
addicting-kids with administrators
to spread the word on school
Facebook pages, websites, or inemail announcements to parents.

Posting “No tobacco” signs andannouncing reminders at sporting
events and other gatherings.

Encouraging kids to visit the nurse/
wellness counselor at school forquitting resources like helplines(800-300-8086) and apps
(thisisquitting.com).
Implementing in-class curriculumthat educates students about
nicotine products, including vapes.
(See example curriculum,
Stanford's tobacco prevention
toolkit for schools)

Enlisting the Parent Teacher
Student Association (PTSA) toadopt an anti-vaping resolution;
host educational sessions or
activities about nicotine products;
host educational forums forparents, students, and community
members; and improve campus
security with more frequentmonitoring of locations wherestudents vape. Be sure to attend tovoice your concerns.

*

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