Alaska schools can receive free toolkits filled with tobacco and vaping resources

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September 17, 2024 — Alaska schools can get free resources to help address youth tobacco, vaping, and nicotine use. Many Alaska students are struggling with tobacco and nicotine use. Almost 1 out of 4 high school students (23%) used a tobacco product. This includes all types of tobacco and nicotine products, like e-cigarettes, cigarettes, and nicotine pouches. That’s according to new 2023 Alaska Youth Risk Behavior Survey data.

Alaska schools are also seeing tobacco and e-cigarette use suspensions at unprecedented numbers. During the 2022-2023 school year, there were over 1,240 students who received tobacco-related school suspensions. These suspensions are across all grade levels and include students as young as first grade, according to suspension data from Alaska Department of Education & Early Development.

Nicotine is an addictive chemical known to harm brain development. Nicotine use can impact growing brains and affect learning, memory, and mood. Nicotine is found in all tobacco products. These include cigarettes, smokeless tobacco, e-cigarettes, nicotine pouches, and more. These products have other serious health harms too.

Alaska’s Tobacco Prevention and Control Program launched a tobacco and nicotine toolkit last year. To date, toolkit materials have been shared with almost all Alaska school districts and many tobacco control partners and health care providers.

“Schools are often the first to know when students are struggling with addiction and are in a unique position to respond if they are provided the necessary resources and support,” said Christy Knight, Alaska’s Tobacco Prevention and Control Program Manager.

The resources in the toolkit help young Alaskans learn about the health risks of tobacco and nicotine and make empowered and healthy choices. They point young people to Alaska’s Not Buying It campaign. This statewide campaign encourages young Alaskans to lead tobacco- and vape-free lives. It also shares a texting resource called AK Live Vape Free. This text messaging program is free and confidential. Teens ages 13-17 can join by texting VAPEFREE to 873373.

Order free toolkit materials here

All toolkit materials are free. All materials can be shipped anywhere in Alaska at no cost to schools.

Schools, tobacco partners, and health care providers can order free toolkit materials like posters, rack cards, fact sheets, and more.

This year, the toolkit includes new materials that address mental health resources for schools and prevention education for younger students.

New materials include:

A fact sheet about how Alaska schools can help protect youth mental health by addressing nicotine use:

Posters for students in grades 1-5:

Poster for students in grades 6-8:

Post card sharing resources for youth:

Check out all available resources on Alaska’s Tobacco Quit Line web page for Videos, Posters, and Materials.

 

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To learn more about tobacco prevention efforts in Alaska, please visit the Alaska Tobacco Prevention and Control Program page.

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