Webinar Monday, Jan. 11, will focus on stopping use of electronic cigarettes and other substances by Kentucky's young people

The webinar is free but registration is required. Register here: https://bit.lu/2FgenhY

Substance use among young people is a persistent problem in Kentucky, according to the 2019 Youth Risk Behavior Survey. One in four students in high school, where most adult tobacco users got their start, say they have used electronic cigarettes -- and that rate rose dramatically as 2019 went along.

High-school students' use of alcohol, which had declined for more than two decades, plateaued at 23 percent in 2019. About 15 percent of high schoolers used marijuana, and 11 percent abused prescription painkillers. Other illicit drug use is less common among high schoolers, but a rising number (23 percent in 2019) are being offered illegal drugs on campus, says the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky.

"These statistics are alarming, but there are proven policies and programs to help reduce tobacco and other substance use during youth," the foundation says in announcing a free one-hour webinar to share solutions at 2 p.m. ET Monday, Jan. 11. The webinar will conclude the foundation's annual Howard L. Bost Memorial Health Policy Forum series, which focused this year on improving child health in Kentucky, in partnership with Kentucky Youth Advocates. 

The panelists on the webinar, "Stopping Vaping and Substance Use," will be:

• Van Ingram, executive director, state Office of Drug Control Policy
• Tami Cappelletti, programs and education manager, American Lung Association, "How to Talk to Your Kids About Vaping"
• Devine Carama, Lexington FEND (Full Energy, No Drugs) Movement
• Abby Hefner, anti-vaping advocate, McCracken County High School

The discussion will be moderated by Eva Stone, health coordinator for Jefferson County Public Schools. Speakers will help participants:

• Understand the current state of youth use of tobacco, alcohol, and other substances, as well as both longer-term trends and the specific impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on those trends. 
• Explore evidence-based programs regarding how to talk to youth about e-cigarettes and vaping.
• Learn about an effective youth substance-use prevention program in Lexington.
• Hear about a McCracken County youth's experience of becoming addicted to nicotine, how she finally quit vaping, and her subsequent advocacy work.

Legislators, educators, advocates and others who want to learn more about evidence-based policies and programs to reduce youth tobacco and other substance use are encouraged to attend. The webinar is free, but registration is required: Register here.