The DeKalb Prevention Coalition launching a new initiative to reduce vaping rates among local youth thanks to a multi-year grant from the Tennessee Department of Health.
Coalition Director Jennifer Matthews said the organization was one of only ten counties selected to receive the Nicotine-Free Future grant following a competitive application process. Matthews said the funding is structured as a five-year award, providing $10,000 in the first year followed by $40,000 annually for the remaining four years.
“Just like every other school in Tennessee, all counties struggle with the increase of nicotine use with youth, including vaping,” Matthews said. “It’s a problem that all of our schools are facing. So we wrote for the grant to help implement a prevention cessation course in our schools that’s an evidence-based program.”
Matthews said the majority of the budget is dedicated to prevention efforts specifically targeting youth between the ages of 12 and 21. Matthews said the coalition plans to install new signage across all school campuses to clearly communicate that the properties are tobacco-free environments.
“One of the things that we’re wanting to do with this funding is to start a evidence-based prevention course with students in DeKalb County if they get caught with a vape device, they can attend a evidence-based program,” Matthews said.
Matthews said the coalition and the school system will take further steps to lower nicotine and vape use on campus.
“Some of the other funding is to help signage on all of our school campuses to let people that come to our school to know that we are a tobacco-free campus and to discourage those types of products being brought on campus.”
When asked about the effectiveness of some of these initiatives, Matthew said the coalition intends to utilize the Tennessee Together student survey during the upcoming school year to establish a data baseline for the county. Matthews said this information will allow a committee to identify the specific resources and support systems local students require, as well as analyze the effectiveness of the program.
“I know that the course that we’re wanting to bring to the students is evidence-based,” Matthews said. “There’s good results from that, and we’re hoping, you know, with our students in DeKalb County, we want them to be educated on the dangers of making the choice of using nicotine products, including vaping.”
Matthews said the coalition hopes the implementation of the education course will provide the necessary tools to curb the current, highly addictive trend of youth vaping.
