NCDA Launches Anti-Vaping Campaign in Westmoreland

The National Council on Drug Abuse (NCDA) has launched an Anti-Vaping Campaign in Westmoreland, to help combat the increased use of electronic cigarettes among youth in the parish.

The initiative, which began with a public education session on Monday (May 29) at the Westmoreland Justice Centre in Savanna-la-Mar, is expected to last for between six months and a year. It aims to build awareness on the impact of vaping on the body.

Speaking with JIS News, Substance Abuse Officer, NCDA, Westmoreland, Orain Ruddock, said the Savanna-la-Mar Primary and the Grange Hill and Sir Clifford Campbell High schools in the parish are targeted under the campaign.

“These schools would have either been directly involved in the ZOSO areas or they would have been receiving students from the ZOSO areas or they’re in an area that is plagued by crime,” he pointed out.

Mr. Ruddock said surveys show that there is an exponential growth in youth vaping, noting that youngsters are often unaware of the harmful effects of the product.

He noted that vaping can result in poor concentration, psychosis and anxiety disorder.

Mr. Ruddock further explained that Diacetyl, which is frequently added to flavoured e-liquid to enhance the taste, when inhaled can cause permanent scarring in the lungs, which is referred to as ‘Popcorn Lungs’.

This, he added, can result in “deep wheeze breathing that… will worsen over time and they will definitely have lung complications”.

The Anti-Vaping Campaign will include a teacher-training component to ensure that educators are equipped to assist with guiding students.

“We would have found out that a lot of teachers do not really know what is happening, and they do not really know even some of the vaping instruments,” Mr. Ruddock said.

The campaign is receiving support from the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), Restorative Justice Unit of the Ministry of Justice, the National Child Diversion programme and the Ministry of Education & Youth, among others.

Through the framework of the Anti-Vaping campaign, other supporting prevention programmes like Operation Lighthouse, a parenting programme that seeks to strengthen the bond between parents and children through effective communication, will be launched.

The Anti-Vaping campaign was also launched in St. Ann and will be launched in St. James soon.