January 5, 2021

Media Inquiries

  Courtney Rhodes
  202-281-5237

The following quote is attributed to Mitch Zeller, J.D., Director of the FDA's Center for Tobacco Products:

“Despite an encouraging recent drop in youth e-cigarette use, the 2020 National Youth Tobacco Survey highlighted that 3.6 million youth still currently use e-cigarettes. As part of our commitment to educate youth, parents, and teachers, the FDA and Scholastic are continuing to collaborate on new materials and efforts to inform them about the dangers of youth e-cigarette use – such as a student magazine with an accompanying teacher guide, blog post, and supplementary educational resources, as well as an art contest for students.”

“Public education has been a fundamental effort to protect youth since the FDA launched its first tobacco prevention campaign seven years ago. It is an important complement to our overarching efforts to ensure all tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, aren’t being marketed to, sold to, or used by kids.”

Additional Information:

• The FDA continues to collaborate with Scholastic to develop and distribute youth e-cigarette prevention educational resources for middle and high schools. Last month, the FDA and Scholastic launched supplementary program materials, including a student magazine with an accompanying teacher guide, a student contest, and a blog post.
• The “Vaping’s Not My Thing” Student Challenge* asks students in grades 6-12 to submit posters or other illustrations that aim to convince teens not to vape because of the health risks of vaping. Entries must be submitted by March 22, 2021. Prizes for the contest are funded by Scholastic and will be awarded in spring 2021. The prizes include:
  • Grand Prize (one middle school and one high school winner): $500 each for winning student and their teacher.
  • Runners-Up (three middle school and three high school winners): $200 each for winning students and their teachers.
  • The Grand Prize–winning entries will also be adapted into posters by the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products.
• As part of ongoing efforts to protect youth from the dangers of tobacco use, the FDA launched “The Real Cost” Youth E-Cigarette Prevention Campaign in September 2018 to reach the millions of youth aged 12-17 who have ever used e-cigarettes or are open to trying them. Advertising and other prevention materials are delivered across a variety of channels, including TV and online ads.
• Education is an important complement to the FDA’s overarching youth tobacco prevention efforts. As part of the FDA's Youth Tobacco Prevention Plan, the agency has been holding retailers and manufacturers accountable for marketing and sales practices that have led to increased youth accessibility and appeal of e-cigarettes. The FDA is also exploring how to help those kids who are already addicted to e-cigarettes quit.

The FDA, an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, protects the public health by assuring the safety, effectiveness, and security of human and veterinary drugs, vaccines and other biological products for human use, and medical devices. The agency also is responsible for the safety and security of our nation’s food supply, cosmetics, dietary supplements, products that give off electronic radiation, and for regulating tobacco products.