E-QUIP

How might we design the appropriate response to tackle the issue of vaping among adolescents at its core?

Teenage vaping rates are spiking. According to the Monitoring the Future (MTF) national study, the percent of 10th and 12th graders who vape nicotine increased 8.9 and 10.9 percentage points in 2018, respectively. “[T]hese increases are the largest ever recorded for any substance in the 44 years that MTF has tracked adolescent drug use.” These trends continued in 2019, with prevalence estimates of 16.1 percent among 8th graders, 31.1 percent among 10th graders and 35.1 percent among 12th graders. These data also show significant new increases in vaping cannabis among adolescents, which is of particular concern given the recent outbreak of lung illnesses currently being attributed to vaping cannabis products.

Taking into consideration factors such as: the currently shifting regulatory environment around vaping; best practices in public health; and the social and psychological factors involved in adolescent substance use will be crucial in understanding the core of the issues and designing appropriate responses to adolescent vaping behavior in our area. For this Tiger Challenge, a team of Princeton students will work with Princeton University’s Health Promotion and Prevention Services and Princeton Health Department to design innovative, appropriate responses to tackle the issue of vaping among adolescents at its core. 

Faculty Advisor:

Dr. Sonya Satinsky, Director, Princeton University Health Promotion and Prevention Services

Community Partner:

John Madden, Teacher, Humanities Academy, Morristown High School