Building a Youth Vaping Education Campaign in Raleigh County

Bryce Kahari of the Center for Black Health and Equity helps members of the West Virginia African-American Tobacco Prevention Network turn local policy accomplishments into a community education campaign. The campaign supports vape shop ordinances passed in Beckley and Raleigh County while addressing the continued need for vaping prevention, public awareness and youth engagement.

The presentation explains that parents and young people cannot always be reached through the same message or communication channel. Effective campaigns must identify what each audience cares about, what barriers may prevent them from responding, where they receive information and what specific action they should be asked to take. Kahari also stresses that young people should help develop the messages intended for other young people.

Participants divide into groups to begin creating separate campaign strategies for parents and students. Each group considers its primary message, possible misconceptions, communication channels and call to action. The workshop provides a starting point for a campaign that can educate families, challenge the belief that vaping is harmless and encourage West Virginia youth to remain tobacco-free.