Youth Vaping Epidemic Discussion Sept. 25 In Westport

From the Town of Westport:

September 19 2019

Vaping: The Youth Epidemic

Tricia Dahl from Yale’s Tobacco Center of Regulatory Science

Community Presentation Sept. 25

Westport, CT - Department of Human Services Director Elaine Daignault announced today that on Wednesday, September 25 at 7:00 PM at Westport Town Hall (110 Myrtle Avenue), the Westport Human Services, Westport Prevention Coalition, and collaborating partners, will host a free community presentation on Vaping : The Youth Epidemic, with Tricia Dahl, Senior Research Assistant at the Yale University School of Medicine.

Declared an “epidemic” among youth by U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. Jerome Adams, vaping among youth continues to draw headlines around the country and raise concerns from parents, peers, and professionals at the local level. Join us as we welcome Tricia Dahl from Yale University’s Tobacco Center of Regulatory Science, who has been extensively involved in the dissemination of research findings about e-cigarettes to local communities, including schools, both public and private, PTAs, athletic coaches and school administration, town councils, and Juvenile Review Boards. This program will address how we got to this point, what we now know, and will debunk some of the popular myths around vaping.

Parents are strongly encouraged to bring your students. Due to the popularity of this speaker, registration is strongly recommended to guarantee entry. Please register at https://vape2019westport.eventbrite.com or call/email Youth Services Program Director, Kevin Godburn at (203)341-1055 or kgodburn@westportct.gov for more information.

About our Presenter:

Tricia Dahl is a senior Research Assistant at Yale University School of Medicine working directly for Dr. Suchitra Krishnan-Sarin. Since 2001, she has worked on a number of clinical trials in the area of adult and adolescent substance abuse. She has done extensive work with adults who are heavy drinkers in an effort to find an effective way to treat alcoholism. She has also been involved in researching the effects of e-cigarettes on adolescent behavior as part of Yale’s Tobacco Center of Regulatory Science, which recently completed a 5-year grant looking at how flavors, and sweeteners affect the initiation and development of addiction to current tobacco and modified risk tobacco products. Currently, the group is studying the influence of flavors, sweeteners and other constituents of tobacco products on appeal, use and abuse. Ms. Dahl has been extensively involved in the dissemination of research findings about e-cigarettes to local communities, including schools, both public and private, PTAs, athletic coaches and school administration, town councils, and Juvenile Review Boards. She has traveled to over 50 schools in Connecticut where she has presented talks about adolescent vaping behaviors and potential concerns to parents, administrator, teachers and students.

This press release was produced by the Town of Westport. The views expressed here are the author’s own.