Bristol Township School District To Host Webinar On Tobacco Use

BRISTOL, PA — The Bristol Township School District will be hosting a webinar on adolescent tobacco use by David Fialko, a Nationally Certified Tobacco Treatment Specialist from The Council of Southeast Pennsylvania, Inc. on Wednesday, Dec. 1.

Fialko will present his webinar, “Tobacco Use, Vaping and Youth”, via Zoom. The presentation will help to inform children, teenagers, and adults of the dangers of consuming tobacco products, with an emphasis on vaping products, which have become very popular in the last few years.

“No matter how nicotine is delivered, it is harmful for adolescents and young adults,” Fialko said.

The presentation will discuss the issue of tobacco addiction in adolescents and the physical and psychological health risks associated with long-term tobacco use. Information on how vaping products work, as well as how to find help in breaking the addiction, will also be discussed in the webinar.

The marketing of vaping and e-cigarette products discreetly targets young people disproportionately, according to Fialko. This has caused an uptick in the amount of young people consuming tobacco products.

“It ensures that an entire generation will continue to provide wealth and longevity to an industry that profits from harming the health and well-being of young adults and youth,” he said.

According to an article from the American Journal of Public Health, 29 percent of lifetime e-cigarette users that were polled in 2018 began at or below the age of 14. This was almost four times the amount polled in 2014.

Fialko and the school district implore parents of school-age students to attend the webinar so they can be more aware of the dangers of newer tobacco products. The hosts hope the presentation will give parents a helpful hand in starting the conversation about these products they should have with their children.

“My hopes are that parents increase their perceived harm regarding vaping and all forms of
nicotine use while gaining information that they can use in helping prevent use or encourage
current youth who use to quit,” he said.

Those interested in attending the webinar can register here.