What is the Vape Takeback?:

The Vape Takeback is an annual event hosted by the Youth Advisory Board Prevention Club. It’s for raising awareness on the negative impacts of vaping and for anyone seeking resources to quit. People who come to this event can dispose of their old vapes in return for a gift bag. These gift bags have various resources and even a chance of winning a gift card!

History:

The first year of the Vape Takeback, the club was new to hosting this event and didn’t know what to expect. Yet, they were still able to collect a total of 27 vapes. The second year had a much lower collection rate. However, many students seeked resources from the student services staff following the event. Nonetheless, they hosted the event again this year with an immense success rate, collecting a total of 130 vapes. 

Goal:

The main purpose of the event is for students and members of the community to feel supported while making healthier choices and seeking help. Wanting everyone to feel they can seek help without the fear of consequences or judgment is an essential goal of this event. In addition, they also want to give people access to various resources to help them quit vaping and overall make healthier decisions. Another leading motivation of this event is raising awareness on the negative effects of vaping. 

Quitting Resources:

Some online resources to quit vaping include “This is Quitting” and texting “Ditchvape” to 88709. There are also local substance use treatment agencies available for in person counseling. Mrs. Feryance emphasizes that “we would rather students seek out support for quitting, instead of ‘getting caught’ and requiring a consequence” and “your health and well being is our priority”. Mrs. Ferrance also noted that vaping can be difficult to quit but help is always available for those who want it! If you would like a list of agencies in our area, please see Mrs. Feryance for our resource list!