Exposure to nicotine can harm the developing brains of adolescents, according to the National Institutes of Health.

Staff at BRiDGES in Madison County have a passion for helping kids make wise choices, such as avoiding vaping.


What You Need To Know

  • The New York State Department of Health says nearly one in five kids are vaping

  • Not-for-profit BRiDGES, Madison County Council on Alcoholism & Substance Abuse, Inc., has prevention and intervention programs designed to promote change, strengthen families and build healthy communities

  • New York State provides an anonymous text messaging program to help youth quit vaping

Emily Benedict is a member of the Reality Check Youth Program and a student at Cazenovia High School.

“I believe that in schools it's a big problem, especially with high schoolers and their teen years. I do see a lot in my high school as well and I think that is just not helpful to those kids," Benedict said.

The nonprofit BRiDGES, Madison County Council on Alcoholism & Substance Abuse, Inc., has prevention and intervention programs designed to promote change, strengthen families, and build healthy communities. 

With classes back in session, they said it's important kids know the dangers of vaping, especially as advertising still targets young people.

“It can affect your mental health. It can affect your physical health as well. It's not an easy habit to break, so if you think that you can start it and then quit, it's going to be a very difficult road for you to quit," said Raven Manchester, the community engagement coordinator of BRiDGES / MCCASA, Inc.

New York State provides an anonymous text messaging program to help youth quit vaping. People between the ages of 13 and 24 can text "DropTheVape" to 88709 for age-appropriate text messages supporting their quitting efforts, set to their quit date.

BRiDGES continues in its prevention work, seeking more youth ambassadors like Benedict.

“It’s concerning to their mental health and it definitely affects their classwork as well. They can't go focus on all of their schoolwork," Benedict said.

“Our youth ambassadors are very important to us and Reality Check," said Manchester. "I don't think our work would be as successful as it is without them.”