Important Dates

Monday April 21, 2025 3:30 – 4:30 PM Pacific

Crystal Shen, MD, MPH. Pediatrician and Legislative Committee Chair for the Washington Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics link to bio info

Results from a National Youth Tobacco Survey found that 68% of youth who vape have tried to quit, but almost two-thirds had no cessation support. The latest generation of e-cigarettes and oral nicotine products contain significantly higher levels of nicotine than cigarettes, spurring youth nicotine addiction. Those who work with youth in schools and other settings may find it challenging to address youth nicotine addiction and to support nicotine cessation.

Dr. Crystal Shen will overview treatment approaches and resources for youth who use nicotine products, including how Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) medications can be prescribed to adolescents under 18 as per American Academy of Pediatrics recommendations. She will explain cessation resources that are available including those for Washington state and address common questions about nicotine addiction and the challenges of quitting.

This presentation is for school staff, professionals focused on youth and schools, prevention and public health professionals, and all others interested in improving youth nicotine cessation treatment.

A certificate of completion will be available on request to individuals attending the virtual session.

Register on Zoom to participate: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/ywPfzmMGTtqrYoFKzkt6HQ

Tuesday, April 29, 2025. 10 AM - 1 PM Pacific / 1:00 - 3:00 p.m Eastner

Join the American Heart Association for a virtual webinar about youth vaping and the environmental health impacts through expert mini-presentations! Hear from environmental health researchers, tobacco control/legal experts, young adult leaders, and curriculum developers on how vaping affects youth and our planet. Explore solutions in reducing hazardous waste from tobacco products and learn ways to assist youth in quitting. Let’s work together and take action throughout our communities to address and end tobacco use and vaping!

The panel of speakers is from the Stanford University REACH Lab, North Carolina A&T State University, Thirdhand Smoke Resource Center, and the Public Health Law Center.

Register to participate: https://heart.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_EVnwoYH-SZmid9GVl0ULfg#/registration

Wednesday, April 30, 2025 11:00 am - 12:00 pm Pacific

Speaker: Joe Neigel

Joe Neigel is the Director of Prevention Services for Monroe School District in Washington State, and he coordinates the Monroe Community Coalition as part of Washington’s Community Prevention and Wellness Initiative. His work is heavily focused on multi-tiered prevention, trauma-informed practice and school-based behavioral health integration. Joe’s print and video community guide, "Prevention Tools: What Works, What Doesn't," is distributed statewide and internationally by the Washington State Health Care Authority. He is recognized as an expert speaker on the topics of substance use disorder prevention and trauma-informed practice, presenting nationally on these topics for more than a decade to dozens of school districts, communities and conferences.

This webinar is part of the WA State Department of Health's Youth Cannabis & Commercial Tobacco Prevention Program's educational series.

Register to participate: https://redegroup.zoom.us/meeting/register/XlgtJYawQxqzeZ2GlF8VGA#/registration

May 6, 2025 1:00 - 3:00 PM Pacific

Facilitator:Carolyn Swenson, MSPH, MSN, RN. Referred by SBIRT National Opinion Research Center.

This virtual training hosted by the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department is designed for those who work with youth to learn about YSBIRT! The interactive training will teach you how to use Youth Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (YSBIRT) to prevent vaping, alcohol, and other drug use.

Whether you’re a preventionist, behavioral health specialist, educator, youth-serving organization, or anyone else who works with young folks, register today! You’ll learn:

• What is YSBIRT?
• The importance of confidentiality and consent.
• Screening tools to quickly identify substance use.
• How to decide the right level of treatment.
• Motivation and behavior change.
• How to refer to treatment youth who need specialty care.

Register to participate: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/CGaFsgmTSNy0mFvNL-nHiw#/registration

Questions? Email Cenora at cakhidenor@tpchd.org.

August 26-28, 2025 in Chicago.

The National Conference on Tobacco or Health (NCTOH) is one of the largest, long-standing gatherings for top United States tobacco control professionals. The convening attracts a diversity of public health professionals committed to best practices and policies to reduce tobacco use—the leading preventable cause of disease and death in the United States. The conference has a registration fee, see the website for available information.

More information: https://nnphi.org/relatedarticle/national-conference-tobacco-health/