In Saint Joseph County, the growing issue of tobacco use among young people remains a significant concern. Sandi Pontius is the Tobacco Education Coordinator with Saint Joseph Health System. She said the tobacco industry continues to target youth, even as cigarette use declines.
“Most of the advertising is at the point of sale,” Pontius said. “We looked at gas stations, convenience stores, and smoke shops. The advertising is put near child items like ice cream or right near the soda.”
While cigarette use among teens has dropped, the rise in vaping is alarming. Pontius said there’s been a sharp increase in e-cigarette use among high school students.
“High school students it is 9.2% reported using e-cigarettes in the past 30 days,” Pontius said, “which is up from just 2.8% in 2016.”
To help teens quit, Pontius recommends several resources, including the Quit Now Indiana program, which provides support and nicotine replacement therapy.
“The more resources you use at once, the better your chances of success,” Pontius said.
