School bathrooms are becoming unsafe spaces. Students are beginning to avoid using them because of the increase in bullying, property vandalization, illicit substance use, vaping and more. Some schools have closed or restricted bathroom access during school hours to curb these vices.
According a study done in 2020 titled “E-cigarette Devices Used on School Grounds,” 75% of e-cigarette use occurred in school bathrooms.
Tobacco Free Lancaster County’s (tobaccofreelancastercounty.org) mirror cling campaign is an approach to address vaping and tobacco use within schools, especially in their bathrooms. The campaign develops and distributes mirror clings with eye-catching images, messages and facts about vaping throughout the community, including Lincoln Public Schools (LPS) middle and high schools. The campaign incorporates the keyword, ‘GHOSTVAPE’ to access a free and confidential text-based quit program by Truth Initiative – ‘This is Quitting.’
Here are steps you can talk to your student about doing as part of their back-to-school checklist and in advocating against vaping: Students in LPS Middle and High Schools can locate the mirror clings in their bathrooms and educate themselves on the dangers of vaping by reading the messaging and facts on them.
Sharing is caring. Students can share mirror cling messages and facts with friends and colleagues.
Students who currently vape can find the motivation to quit vaping. When ready to quit vaping, they can text ‘GHOSTVAPE’ to 88709.
Vaping is a risk to the user and to those exposed to secondhand aerosol, including in school bathrooms. Share with youth today about how to make school safer for themselves and others.