By William H. Kelly III
(JACKSON, Miss.) – Jackson State University is proud to launch its groundbreaking anti-vape campaign in Mississippi and the Metro Jackson area. The first-ever of its kind, the campaign seeks to combat and minimize the use of harmful substances with an emphasis on vaping, e-cigarettes, and hookah in youth and young adults.
“I am extremely hopeful and passionate about the positive impact this campaign will have on our youth in the Metro Jackson community and beyond. We are committed to changing the statistics of young people affected by the harmful effects of vaping and will continue to create initiatives and programming to do just that,” said Henry Thompson, director and principal investigator of the Metro Jackson Community Prevention Coalition.
The campaign’s tagline: “Don’t Vape. Elevate,” encourages high school, prospective college students, and current college students to “Be a Trendsetter, not a Cloud Chaser.” According to PSA Worldwide, the highest percentage of users are young adults ranging from 18 to 24 years old. In 2023, the Centers for Disease Control reported that 2.1 million (7.7%) students in the U.S. currently use e-cigarettes. This includes 550,000 (4.6%) middle school students and 1.56 million (10.0%) high school students.
Following a comprehensive survey led by JSU, it was determined that the majority of students associated vaping and the use of e-cigarettes with several stress factors. This includes stress from increased responsibility and aging, peer pressure, and worry about public image or peer acceptance.
In response, JSU’s Metro Jackson Community Prevention Coalition (MJCPC) provided healthy, mindfulness-based alternatives for students to curb the habit of vaping. They were given JSU-branded yoga mats, fidget cubes, anxiety necklaces, and other tools to alleviate stress-based anxiety and reduce fear. Students were also provided with printed materials to enhance their knowledge on the dangers of vaping.
E-cigarettes commonly contain nicotine and other harmful chemicals in the form of e-liquids, waxes, oils, and herbs that the Food and Drug Administration does not regulate. Many of these diseases are also connected to cancers, lung diseases, and failures. Nicotine is highly addictive and can negatively impact adolescent brain development and the areas that govern attention, learning, mood, and impulse control.
Mississippi’s own Dear Silas also joined the cause, producing and recording his single “Pressure,” especially for the initiative’s 30-second public service announcement and commercial. The PSA is projected to debut in select movie theaters in Mississippi in July 2024 and will appear during the 2024 JSU Football season. Jacksonians can find “Don’t Vape. Elevate” billboards in high-traffic areas and near high schools such as Murrah High School and Lanier High School.
“I was honored to produce ‘Pressure’ in support of the anti-vaping campaign for the students. Turning the negative connotation of the word pressure into something positive was my goal for the song. It can be tough being a young teenager today, so I’m grateful for the opportunity to support a great cause,” said Silas, an international hip-hop artist and trumpeter.
This project was launched by the Metro Jackson Community Prevention Coalition (MJCPC) at JSU, and received support from GENFREEMS. Funding was provided by the Mississippi Bureau of Alcohol and Drug Services.
Watch the full music video featuring Dear Silas here.
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