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According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 2018, 1 in 5 high school students and 1 in 20 middle school students were vaping every day or most days. Vapes (also called e-cigarettes), come in different shapes and sizes. Some examples are shown below. Most contain nicotine, flavoring, and other chemicals.
 (image source: CDC)
Nicotine has known health risks including potential to harm brain development, which is particularly a concern for youth under the age of 25 because their brains are not fully developed. Vaping may be less harmful than traditional cigarettes, but that does not mean they are safe. The most popular vape product, JUUL, contains the same amount of nicotine as a pack of 20 cigarettes. There may be many unknown health effects of inhaling the flavoring and other chemicals in these products, but more research needs to be done to know for sure.
 (image source: CDC)
Here are some tips for helping youth who vape:
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Educate yourself on e-cigarettes and health risks. This knowledge will help you know if youth are vaping so you can talk with them about it.
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Start the conversation. Provide youth with information and resources. Knowing the facts can help youth decide not to vape. This is Quitting is a great resource for youth looking to quit any tobacco product, including e-cigarettes.
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Be supportive. Acknowledge quitting is hard. Nicotine is very addictive and most people have a hard time quitting. This is also true for e-cigarettes. Being supportive can help youth be open to the facts about vaping.
For more information on vaping please contact Hannah Eck, Tobacco Prevention Specialist, Wyoming Department of Health at (307) 777-6541.
Building a relationship with a regular doctor is one of the best ways for your children to receive most of their health care needs.
Here are the top 5 reasons for choosing a regular doctor.
- A continued relationship with a regular doctor establishes health history and builds trust with a doctor, especially as your kids grow into their teens.
- With a regular doctor, you can access a variety of health services including tests, vaccinations, and for help taking care of ongoing health problems.
- Your doctor can help your child stay well. Based on regular health visits and knowing your child’s health history can help your doctor know if your child may be developing more serious health issues.
- Regular checkups with a single doctor make it more likely that any health issues will be caught early.
- When your child knows their doctor and office staff it makes visits less stressful. It’s easier to talk about sensitive issues with someone you know in a familiar setting.
Children grow by baby steps and then leaps and bounds, so help your kids live their healthiest life by staying up to date with the tests appropriate to their age, gender, medical and family history and current health.
Need help finding a regular doctor? Use our Find A Doctor tool at www.BCBSWY.com/findadoctor.
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Time to Renew?
Kid Care CHIP coverage must be renewed every year.
Renew over the phone: 855-294-2127
Not sure when to renew?
Please e-mail kidcarechip@wyo.gov
Contact Kid Care CHIP
For health and pharmacy questions, call Blue Cross Blue Shield of Wyoming: 1-800-209-9720
For dental benefit questions, call Delta Dental of Wyoming: 1-800-735-3379
For vision benefit question, call Davis Vision 1-800-584-2865
For other questions, e-mail kidcarechip@wyo.gov
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