New York State Quitline: Help available for college students to quit vaping

Recent New York State Quitline webinar series highlighted important role college campuses play in improving student health; DropTheVape text program provides free & confidential support

New York State Quitline press release

As students return to college campuses or begin collegiate experiences for the first time, some may turn to vape products to navigate stress or social gatherings. The New York State Quitline (NYS Quitline) reminds college campuses and the public that free help is available to overcome nicotine addiction, including coaching, medications, promotional materials and the confidential DropTheVape texting program.

Prior to the start of the fall semester, the NYS Quitline held a two-part webinar series, titled, “Addressing Vape Product Use on College Campuses.” Recording and presentation slides are available online. To begin the series, the lead presenter reminded attendees that the primary age group for most colleges, 18- to 24-years-olds, constitutes the highest vape product usage in New York.

“College is a critical transition period for youth and young adults,” said Maansi Bansal-Travers, director of the tobacco outreach program at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center in Buffalo. “Brain development continues into the mid-20s, environments and social structures are changing, and independence is increasing. Colleges can provide a unique and opportune setting for education and resources to help prevent initiation and support quitting.”

In the second installment of the webinar series, Julia B. of Manhattan, a NYS Quitline “Success Stories” participant, shared her journey from becoming addicted to vaping in college to successfully quitting with the support of NYS Quitline resources.

“My energy level after quitting has been a lot better,” Julia said. “When you’re vaping, it’s so easy to just go on your bed and doomscroll and vape. I felt like it was just making me lazy. There also were times when my throat hurt from inflammation.”

Additional webinar presenters addressed issues college campuses face in creating and maintaining tobacco- and vape-free policies, including securing institutional buy-in, environmental and recycling concerns, and effectively communicating available resources for students.

“The first thing you have to do is to educate students – vaping is a health issue,” said Malaine Clarke, director of health and emergency funding services for CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice, who served as one of the webinar’s presenters. “We should ask students, ‘Do you need help to quit?’ From there, we can refer them to appropriate support services.” 

One such resource is the NYS Quitline’s free and confidential DropTheVape texting program available by visiting www.DropTheVape.org. The program, which provides six weeks of skill-building techniques, has its largest enrollment among those in their 20s. Colleges can visit the NYS Quitline and download or order promotional materials, including posters, cards, digital and social media graphics, newsletter copy and educational presentations.

Anyone seeking assistance to become vape-free or tobacco-free may contact the NYS Quitline by calling 1-866-NY-QUITS (1-866-697-8487). They can reach a specialist through an online chat or request a call-back by visiting nysmokefree.com. Adults 18 years or older can also order free NRT medications online. The NYS Quitline offers additional free text-support programs by texting QUITNOW (English) or DÉJELO YA NY (Spanish) to 333888. 

College can be one of the most rewarding times in a young adult’s life. Vaping, however, can impact brain development, academic achievement and mental well-being. The NYS Quitline encourages collaboration with college personnel to provide students with the support they need to quit vaping, improve their health and succeed in their educational journey.