Nearly $7 Million to Fund E-Cigarette Public Awareness Campaign, Student Education, Cessation Counseling
PO Box 360 Trenton, NJ 08625-0360
For Release: November 14, 2018
Shereef Elnahal Commissioner
For Further Information Contact: Office of Communications (609) 984-7160
Nearly $7 Million to Fund E-Cigarette Public Awareness Campaign, Student Education, Cessation Counseling
The Department of Health is investing nearly $7 million in new projects to fight smoking and e-cigarette “vaping” among youth. These efforts include an education campaign to warn teens and young adults about the dangers of e-cigarettes and other electronic “vaping” devices that allow users to inhale highly addictive flavored nicotine vapor.
The $6.7 million in new projects will include the formation of “Youth Action Teams” to reduce smoking and vaping among their peers in school.
“Every year, smoking kills more Americans than alcohol, AIDS, car crashes, illegal drugs, homicides and suicides combined. These deaths are preventable,” Health Commissioner Dr. Shereef Elnahal said. “Tomorrow is the American Cancer Society's Great American Smoke Out, a campaign to encourage all smokers to pledge to quit and spread the word about the dangers of smoking.” This initiative offers individuals a first step toward a healthier lifestyle by reducing the risk of cancer, heart disease, diabetes and a host of other illnesses associated with smoking, he said.
The funds are dedicated to these projects through 2017 legislation mandating that 1-percent of the combined revenues from taxes on cigarettes, e-cigarettes and whole
