Educators, advocates, providers convene in Glens Falls to tackle vaping epidemic

A conference highlighting the dangers of vaping among adolescents and adults, as well as strategies to help people quit, was held in Glens Falls on Nov. 21 to mark the 2024 Great American Smokeout.

The conference, “Tobacco & Vaping Use in Adolescents & Adults,” was presented by The Heart Network and St. Peter’s Health Partners, with support from North Country Country Nicotine Consultants, Health Systems for a Tobacco-Free New York and Glens Falls Hospital. The event took place at The Queensbury Hotel in downtown Glens Falls and was attended by over 70 individuals representing public health agencies, healthcare providers, schools and community organizations.

The Great American Smokeout (GASO) is held every year on the third Thursday of November and encourages people to take the first step toward quitting smoking and/or other tobacco products. Quitting isn’t easy, so the messaging behind GASO emphasizes keeping it simple: pick a date, make a plan and ask for help — especially from trusted healthcare providers, as most smokers are two to three times more likely to successfully quit with counseling.

“Our tobacco control partners across New York have made tremendous progress over the last decade to make significant inroads in lowering smoking rates among youth and adults,” said Ann Morgan, executive director of The Heart Network. “We have, in fact, reached historic lows, something that is worth celebrating especially in conjunction with the Great American Smokeout. Thanks to the New York State Bureau of Tobacco Control, we’ve adopted everything from the Clean Indoor Air Act and some of the strictest taxes on tobacco nationwide to awareness campaigns and free resources to smokers like the New York State Quitline.”

“This progress, however, comes with a major caveat: despite record lows in smoking rates, the use of e-cigarettes and vaping products remains dangerously high, for both teens and adults,” Morgan said. “The tobacco industry continues its assault on our health with manipulative advertising that disproportionately targets youth, people of color and low-income individuals, using products like e-cigarettes and flavored tobacco to get people — especially youth — hooked. These products also make it even more difficult for people who want to quit to be successful. Our work today on the Great American Smokeout will be crucial in arming us with more information and in providing critical tools and resources as we go back to our communities and continue the fight against the vaping epidemic. We cannot afford to let up.”

“Vaping among adolescents and adults continues to be a pervasive health issue among New York residents,” said Erin Sinisgalli, MPH, MCHES, director of Community Health Programs at St. Peter’s Health Partners. “As the tobacco industry continues to develop a variety of new products there is an imminent need for health providers to stay informed of the latest data and evidence-based interventions. Providing a platform for our local health providers to hear from leading experts in tobacco control and share ongoing programming efforts bolsters our communities’ capacity to assist individuals in their quit journeys.”

The conference covered topics that included treatment policies and strategies, and increasing provider awareness and knowledge on the vaping epidemic. Speakers include Ann Morgan of The Heart Network, Kathie LaBarge and Gwendolyn Ossenkop of PAVe (Parents Against Vaping E-cigarettes), Barbara Schillo of the Truth Initiative, Daniella Puorto of Whitney Young Health Center, Kristen Corcoran of Skidmore College, Sheila Galea of Behavioral Health Services North, AliceElizabeth Ladue of Champlain Valley Family Center and Patricia Bax of the New York State Quitline.

Barbara Schillo, Ph.D., is chief research officer for the Truth Initiative. In her presentation, she highlighted the prevalence of vaping among young people, identified negative health impacts and outlined effective strategies for addressing youth nicotine addiction.

“The tobacco industry has attempted to portray e-cigarettes as a safer alternative to traditional cigarettes, which has become an effective tool for recruiting young people to become vapers,” Schillo said. “The truth is that e-cigarettes carry a multitude of health risks, including asthma, cancer causing chemicals and decreased lung function. Nicotine itself can impact the developing brain, interfering with learning, memory, mood and impulse control.”

Schillo highlighted resources to help teens kick the habit, including the Crisis Text Line and Breathwrk, as well as strategies for intervention.

The conference also featured a presentation by Katherine LaBarge and Gwendolyn Ossenkop, parents advocates with PAVe — Parents Against Vaping E-cigarettes.

“One of the biggest lessons for parents and educators is understanding how to talk to teens about vaping,” LaBarge said. “Talking down to kids, accusing them, lecturing — these approaches aren’t effective in many cases can cause them to double down. Instead, we want to promote coming from a place of understanding and support. We can also model good behavior by not smoking or vaping ourselves and reminding ourselves that an entire, multi-billion-dollar industry targeted our youth and helped create this epidemic.”

To learn more about PAVe, visit parentsagainstvaping.org. For more information about the Truth Initiative, visit truthinitiative.org.

To learn more about the conference, resources shared, cessation strategies and more, contact Morgan Greenwood at mgreenwwood@heartnetwork.org.