Vaping (Nicotine) Education and Prevention
Youth vaping rates have increased significantly over the past 10 years in our area’s schools according to the COMPASS: 2022-23 Report Northwestern Health Unit Region. It is important to educate youth about the potential harm that vaping can cause.
The following resources align with Ontario curriculum requirements and aim to give educators evidence-based tools to teach young people about vaping and nicotine addiction.
Vaping Prevention Kits
Schools can borrow a Vaping Prevention Kit, which includes interactive student activities, school challenge materials, and classroom curriculum supports. Kits are targeted to students in grades 4-12 and are available in local health unit offices.
//Nicotine pouches
Zonnic, a brand of nicotine pouches made by Imperial Tobacco, have been marketed and sold in Ontario since October 2023. This product can be legally purchased in Ontario without age verification because it contains synthetic nicotine (not tobacco) and does not require compliance with tobacco and vaping product regulations.
Information about the health effects of nicotine pouches is not known currently. However, the same strategies and resources used for educating and talking to youth about vaping can be used when discussing nicotine pouches.
- Zyn Nicotine Pouches – Health Canada Recall (June 2024)
- Only use authorized nicotine pouches as directed – Health Canada Advisory (March 2024)
- Unauthorized nicotine pouches may pose serious health risks – Health Canada Advisory (July 2023)//
Tobacco Reduction in Youth Partnerships (TRYPs) grant
Area schools can access funding to support projects that focus on vaping prevention with youth in grades 7-12. Through this grant, the Northwest Tobacco Control Area Network aims to build and enhance partnerships with regional youth-focused groups, schools, and organizations.
Cessation (Quitting) resources
You can use the following to help someone to quit smoking:
- Quash is a free smoking and vaping cessation program for youth that makes it easy to build a custom plan for quitting. Co-designed with youth and available across Canada in English and French, Quash consists of four core program elements: website and resources, mobile app, adult ally training and coaching.
- #StopVaping Challenge is an app that provides a place for youth to reflect on their vaping behaviours and patterns in a fun, social way that encourages quitting with friends.
- Crush the Crave is an app developed by researchers with input from people who vape to help users quit vaping. Features include a customized quit plan, tracking of cravings and vaping habits, including a diary of vaping triggers, access to evidence-based services in Canada that support quitting vaping, and calculators showing the amount of money saved since quitting.
- I Quit for Me aims to help youth ages 14-18 quit smoking and/or vaping. Written specifically for youth, the guide is available in digital and print formats and can be used on its own or as part of a facilitated group program.
How to help students who want to quit
- Brief Conversations Toolkit is a one-stop-shop for supportive conversations that encourage youth to rethink vaping, including evidence-based (but bite-sized!) videos, worksheets and more.
Enforcing the Smoke-Free Ontario Act
To protect from the harms of second-hand smoke, the Smoke-Free Ontario Act, 2017 bans all smoking and vaping on school grounds, and within 20 metres of the grounds. We educate schools and students on the laws and expectations surrounding tobacco and e-cigarettes on school property. We support school board policy and procedure related to SFOA, 2017 and provide the following enforcement resources for school administrators:
Grade 9-12 resources
The following are vaping-related resources for students in grades 9-12.
Lesson plans
| Resource title | Description |
|---|---|
| Ontario Physical and Health Education Association (OPHEA) Association ontarienne d’éducation physique et santé (OPHEA) | Grade by grade curriculum-support resources for the Health and Physical Education curriculum, including vaping prevention. |
| Lungs are for Life! Des poumons pour la vie! | An engaging, evidence-based resource for Ontario educators to help students learn more about smoking and vaping so they can make healthy and informed decisions. Developed by the Canadian Lung Association and funded by the Government of Ontario Ministry of Education. |
| Teachers’ Vaping Toolkit – Alberta Health Services | The K-12 toolkit provides resources for classroom conversations to prevent the uptake and harms of vaping, including self-led resources, videos, full lesson plans. Resources for teacher training and cessation support for students are also included. |
Learning modules and presentations
| Resource title | Description |
|---|---|
| Not an Experiment Pas une expérience | A digital, interactive toolkit to educate youth about e-cigarettes and vaping, including lesson plans, presentations, an escape room-style activity, and general school resources (incl. posters, social media, videos, and announcements). |
| Health Canada – Consider the Consequences of Vaping Santé Canada – Considérez les conséquences du vapotage | Interactive learning modules, activities, and general school resources (incl. posters, social media, and videos) that provide information about nicotine, the hidden dangers, and the cost of vaping. |
| VIBED – Vaping Information for Better Educated Decisions VIBED – Informations sur le vapotage pour les mieux instruits Décision | A dynamic and engaging youth-oriented vaping education workshop designed to empower young individuals with knowledge and the tools to make healthier decisions in the future. The program is broken down into two sections: Vaping Information and Better-Educated Decisions. Includes slides, materials, script, and interactive activities. |
Videos
| Resource title | Description |
|---|---|
| Not an Experiment Pas une expérience | A digital, interactive toolkit to educate youth about e-cigarettes and vaping, including lesson plans, presentations, an escape room-style activity, and general school resources (incl. posters, social media, videos, announcements). |
| Teachers’ Vaping Toolkit – Alberta Health Services | A digital, interactive toolkit to educate youth about e-cigarettes and vaping, including lesson plans, presentations, an escape room-style activity, and general school resources (incl. posters, social media, videos, and announcements). |
Classroom activities
| Resource title | Description |
|---|---|
| Not an Experiment Pas une expérience | A digital, interactive toolkit to educate youth about e-cigarettes and vaping, including lesson plans, presentations, an escape room-style activity, and general school resources (incl. posters, social media, videos, announcements). |
| Health Canada – Consider the Consequences of Vaping Santé Canada – Considérez les conséquences du vapotage | Interactive learning modules, activities, and general school resources (incl. posters, social media, videos) providing information about nicotine, the hidden dangers, and the cost of vaping. |
| VIBED – Vaping Information for Better Educated Decisions VIBED – Informations sur le vapotage pour les mieux instruits Décision | A dynamic and engaging youth-oriented vaping education workshop designed to empower young individuals with knowledge and the tools to make healthier decisions in the future. The program is broken down into two sections: Vaping Information and Better-Educated Decisions. Includes slides, materials, script, and interactive activities. |
School resources (posters, social media, announcements, etc)
| Resource title | Description |
|---|---|
| Not an Experiment Pas une expérience | A digital, interactive toolkit to educate youth about e-cigarettes and vaping, including lesson plans, presentations, an escape room-style activity, and general school resources (incl. posters, social media, videos, announcements). |
| Health Canada – Consider the Consequences of Vaping Santé Canada – Considérez les conséquences du vapotage | Interactive learning modules, activities, and general school resources (incl. posters, social media, videos) providing information about nicotine, the hidden dangers, and the cost of vaping. |
| Unfiltered Facts – Use Your Instincts | Educational, interactive online campaign focusing on the facts about vaping and its associated risks, including school resources (incl. posters, social media, videos). |
Resources for parents
| Resource title | Description |
|---|---|
| Not an Experiment Pas une expérience | A digital, interactive toolkit to educate youth about e-cigarettes and vaping, including lesson plans, presentations, an escape room-style activity, and general school resources (incl. posters, social media, videos, announcements). |
| Talking with Your Teens About Vaping – Government of Canada | Tip sheet on how to talk to teens about vaping and important information to know when approaching the conversation for parents and educators. |
Grade K-8 resources
The following are vaping-related resources for students in grades K-8.
Lesson plans
| Resource title | Description |
|---|---|
| Ontario Physical and Health Education Association (OPHEA) Association ontarienne d’éducation physique et santé (OPHEA) | Grade-by-grade curriculum-support resources for the Health and Physical Education curriculum, including vaping prevention. |
| Lungs are for Life! Des poumons pour la vie! | An engaging, evidence-based resource for Ontario educators to help students learn more about smoking and vaping so they can make healthy and informed decisions. Developed by the Canadian Lung Association and funded by the Government of Ontario Ministry of Education. |
| Not an Experiment Pas une expérience | A digital, interactive toolkit to educate youth about e-cigarettes and vaping, including lesson plans, presentations, an escape room-style activity, and general school resources (incl. posters, social media, videos, and announcements). |
| Teachers’ Vaping Toolkit – Alberta Health Services | The K-12 toolkit provides resources for classroom conversations to prevent the uptake and harms of vaping, including self-led resources, videos, full lesson plans. Resources for teacher training and cessation support for students are also included. |
| Vaping – The EXFiles BILINGUAL | A set of vaping education resources that align with grade-specific outcomes for grades 4, 5 & 6. Includes downloadable lesson plans with activities and worksheets. |
Learning modules and presentations
| Resource title | Description |
|---|---|
| Not an Experiment Pas une expérience | A digital, interactive toolkit to educate youth about e-cigarettes and vaping, including lesson plans, presentations, an escape room-style activity, and general school resources (incl. posters, social media, videos, and announcements). |
| Health Canada – Consider the Consequences of Vaping Santé Canada – Considérez les conséquences du vapotage | Interactive learning modules, activities, and general school resources (incl. posters, social media, videos) providing information about nicotine, the hidden dangers, and the cost of vaping. |
Videos
| Resource title | Description |
|---|---|
| Not an Experiment Pas une expérience | A digital, interactive toolkit to educate youth about e-cigarettes and vaping, including lesson plans, presentations, an escape room-style activity, and general school resources (incl. posters, social media, videos, and announcements). |
| Teachers’ Vaping Toolkit – Alberta Health Services | The K-12 toolkit provides resources for classroom conversations to prevent the uptake and harms of vaping, including self-led resources, videos, full lesson plans. Resources for teacher training and cessation support for students are also included. |
Classroom activities
| Resource title | Description |
|---|---|
| Not an Experiment Pas une expérience | A digital, interactive toolkit to educate youth about e-cigarettes and vaping, including lesson plans, presentations, an escape room-style activity, and general school resources (incl. posters, social media, videos, and announcements). |
| Health Canada – Consider the Consequences of Vaping Santé Canada – Considérez les conséquences du vapotage | Interactive learning modules, activities, and general school resources (incl. posters, social media, videos) providing information about nicotine, the hidden dangers, and the cost of vaping. |
| Vaping – The EXFiles BILINGUAL | A set of vaping education resources that align with grade-specific outcomes for grades 4, 5 & 6. Includes downloadable lesson plans with activities and worksheets. |
School resources (posters, social media, announcements, etc)
| Resource title | Description |
|---|---|
| Not an Experiment Pas une expérience | A digital, interactive toolkit to educate youth about e-cigarettes and vaping, including lesson plans, presentations, an escape room-style activity, and general school resources (incl. posters, social media, videos, and announcements). |
| Health Canada – Consider the Consequences of Vaping Santé Canada – Considérez les conséquences du vapotage | Interactive learning modules, activities, and general school resources (incl. posters, social media, videos) providing information about nicotine, the hidden dangers, and the cost of vaping. |
Resources for parents
| Resource title | Description |
|---|---|
| Not an Experiment Pas une expérience | A digital, interactive toolkit to educate youth about e-cigarettes and vaping, including lesson plans, presentations, an escape room-style activity, and general school resources (incl. posters, social media, videos, and announcements). |
| Talking with Your Teens About Vaping – Government of Canada | Tip sheet on how to talk to teens about vaping and important information to know when approaching the conversation for parents and educators. |