The Oswego County Health Department participated in U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer’s press conference on Tuesday to provide local information and caution students against vaping following an increase in teen e-cigarette use in schools across Central New York.

E-cigarettes come in many different forms, oftentimes small and easily concealable. While some products resemble cigarettes, cigars or pipes, others may look more like everyday items such as pens or USB flash drives. E-cigarette use, commonly known as vaping, is dangerous to users as it poses a risk of tobacco and nicotine addiction as well as damaging health impacts.

“The 2019 outbreak of E-cigarette or Vaping Use-Associated Lung Injury (EVALI) should serve as a warning that we do not fully know the long-term consequences of vaping and vaping products on health,” said Oswego County Public Health Director Vera Dunsmoor. “What we do know is that tobacco and nicotine use among adolescents and young adults in any form is not safe, and that nicotine exposure during adolescence can cause addiction and harm the developing brain.”

A 2022 survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) found that one in seven high school students and 3.3% of middle school students reported using an e-cigarette product within the past 30 days. Of those students, 85% reported using flavored e-cigarettes.

“The newest trend in vaping is Elf Bars,” said Dunsmoor. “We know that they are targeting our youth with flavors like blue razz lemon, watermelon bubble gum and tropical rainbow blast. E-cigarette use has been gaining popularity among our youth since 2014, normalizing “smoking” again to a new generation. It is important that we work together as a community to prevent youth from using these tobacco products and help those who are currently using them to quit.”

OSWEGO COUNTY SPEAKS OUT AGAINST TEEN VAPING- Members of the Oswego County Legislature and the Oswego County Health Department attended a press conference hosted by U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer focused on raising awareness of the dangers of high school vaping. Pictured at the podium are U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer and Oswego County Public Health Director Vera Dunsmoor.