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Dear Editor:
Each year, Red Ribbon Week takes place from Oct. 23 through Oct. 31. Red Ribbon Week is the United States’ oldest and largest drug, alcohol, and tobacco/nicotine awareness and prevention campaign.
The biggest problem facing Hamilton County youth is vaping. Since 2014, e-cigarettes have been the most used tobacco/nicotine product used by youth in the United States. Tobacco companies spend $293 million in Indiana marketing their products and $9 billion nationwide in order to keep current users and attract new ones.
Big Tobacco is especially trying to replace their dying smokers by getting young people addicted to vaping. They do this through savvy marketing campaigns using social media influencers, offering vapes in thousands of flavors, and making their products in bright colors with flashy packaging.
Vaping is so new there isn’t much research that exists yet about the long-term effects, but the medical community believes the results of vaping will be just as bad as smoking (possibly worse). For teens, the high concentration of nicotine in vapes (and nicotine pouches) can permanently alter brain chemistry and development.
If you have children, Red Ribbon Week is a great time to talk to them about the dangers of tobacco and nicotine use, as well as drug and alcohol use.
Because I’m passionate about keeping the young people in Hamilton County safe, I joined an organization called VOICE. VOICE is a countywide and statewide youth movement that strives to engage, educate, and empower youth to take a stand against Big Tobacco and celebrate tobacco- and nicotine-free living.
Lainey Gilkey
Westfield Middle School 8th Grade Student
VOICE WMS and VOICE Hamilton County Member