E-cigarettes’ aggressive marketing, flavors, and high concentrations of nicotine are predatorily designed to encourage youth initiation of e-cigarettes and turn that initiation into addiction. Youth are exposed to high concentrations of nicotine when vaping, and can quickly become addicted to affordable and accessible e-cigarettes. Prevention and tobacco dependence treatment, sometimes known as cessation programs, through the Tobacco Section can help reduce student absenteeism, frequent and unnecessary breaks, and reduce or eliminate exposure to secondhand and thirdhand aerosol exposures. The addiction to high concentrations of nicotine, found in e-cigarettes, make e-cigarette use difficult to quit.
Quitting nicotine can be a complex journey and with more than 50 percent of young people who use nicotine desiring to quit, it can be a difficult process.1 Some of these complexities are coping with symptoms of nicotine withdrawal, social influences, mental health and lack of support systems. The state of Michigan’s Tobacco Section strives to provide services and programs that will bring sustainable, holistic and supportive care to youth addicted to nicotine.
My Life My Quit is Michigan’s youth tobacco dependence treatment quit program for youth 13-17 years of age living in Michigan. This is a free and confidential resource designed to help young people quit. Thousands have joined this non-judgmental program and are able to gain freedom and live vape free. My Life My Quit has various educational resources and support systems, including professionally trained coaches who are available on demand through texting or live chat features. Additionally, the quit program caters to youths’ individuality by allowing them to pick the pace best suited for them and includes education about vaping and tobacco.
To help schools and communities, the Tobacco Section has partnered with The American Lung Association’s Intervention for Nicotine Dependence: Education, Prevention, Tobacco and Health (INDEPTH) program. This program is designed to be an alternative to suspension or citation, to assist schools and communities in confronting youth vaping challenges. This supportive and interactive program educates youth on nicotine dependence, formulation of healthy habits, and how to dismantle their nicotine addiction.2 Additionally, MDHHS and the American Lung Association are partnering to provide support to schools using INDEPTH or who would like to start providing this program to students and want additional support on program implementation and an alternative-to-suspension support. This will be a virtual program with three sessions that include a few other school staff for peer support and sharing as well. This program is free to schools. If you are interested in participating in the INDEPTH and alternatives to suspension community of practice that consists of three virtual sessions, please contact Grace Rudolph at RudolphG2@michigan.gov
1 Truth Initiative. (2025, January 3). Quitting vaping? Here are 5 tips for handling nicotine withdrawal. 5 tips for handling nicotine withdrawal
2 American Lung Association. (n.d.). INDEPTH: An Alternative to Suspension or Citation. Retrieved March 26, 2025, from INDEPTH: An Alternative to Teen Nicotine Suspension or Citation | American Lung Association