A group of young people, some using smartphones, sitting on the ground near a skateboard in an urban setting with buildings and windows visible in the background.

Key Issues

Among the emerging issues that negatively impact student success and health are the use of electronic cigarette and vaping devices, increasing nicotine addiction among youth, and the "triangulum" of tobacco, cannabis, and vaping use.

Rutgers University: Center for Rapid Surveillance of Tobacco

Project Information

The Rutgers University CRST enables researchers to rapidly identify and analyze critical information in real time and generate timely information for appropriate regulatory and enforcement action by the FDA.

CRST aims to perform rapid surveillance of:

Tobacco product marketing, to generate signals of interest
The tobacco product marketplace, to generate and refine signals of interest
Changes in tobacco product use behaviors, to generate, refine, and evaluate signals of interest.

VISIT SITE

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Data Entry

Use the link or QR code to enter pictures of vaping devices that have been found at schools or confiscated from students.

VISIT SITE

Product Research

Rapid tobacco use surveillance: Confiscated tobacco products from United States Schools, 2021–2025

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Vape Waste and the Environment

The image shows various discarded items, including cigarette butts, candy wrappers, and other litter, strewn along the edge of a concrete sidewalk or curb, with a grassy area visible in the background.

What should schools do with confiscated vape waste?

Vaping devices and nicotine solutions are hazardous to both humans and the environment, and must be handled, stored, and disposed of properly.

Toxic nicotine solutions can seep into the ground, contaminating our environment.
Lithium-ion batteries found in these devices can cause fires in garbage trucks and landfills; they require proper recycling.
This managing a mix of hazardous wastes (battery/electronic and nicotine/chemical) makes disposal especially challenging.

TUPE Funded Programs

Although districts and schools cannot use TUPE funds to cover disposal costs, they can equip staff with education on safely handling vape waste and provide guidance on its proper disposal. For recommendations and more information about managing vape waste, download the resources below.

Resources

Providing Guidance on Safe Disposal of Vape Waste at K-12 Schools in California

Learn more and share about the guidance that TUPE can provide K-12 schools for handling and managing vape waste.

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Safe Disposal of Vape Waste - Guidance for K-12 Schools in California

Share the following resource that provides general guidance on addressing vape waste for California schools that do not receive TUPE funding.

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Nicotine Pouches

The image shows several pieces of white, rectangular-shaped cotton or gauze material scattered on a wooden surface.

Nicotine pouches, like Zyn, contain powdered nicotine and are placed between the lip and gum. The nicotine is absorbed through the mouth lining into the bloodstream without requiring spitting. There are no safe tobacco products, including nicotine pouches.

How are companies marketing these products to youth?
What are the health effects of nicotine pouches?

How are companies marketing these products to youth?

What are the health effects of nicotine pouches?

Nicotine pouches entered the U.S. market in 2016, and scientists are still studying their short- and long-term health effects. However, existing research highlights the dangers of nicotine and tobacco products in general (2) :

Nicotine is highly addictive.
It can harm brain development, which continues until about age 25.
Using nicotine during adolescence may damage the areas of the brain that control attention, learning, mood, and impulse control.

Documents

Nicotine Pouches: A New Threat

This factsheet, developed by the California Department of Education (CDE), covers the rising trend of nicotine pouches like Zyn. With their growing popularity, it's more important than ever to stay educated.

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The More You Know - Our Concerns About Zyn

This factsheet, developed by the Stanford REACH Lab, shares information about the concerns around the latest tobacco trend, nicotine pouches.

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Nicotine Pouches

Developed by the California Youth Advocacy Network (CYAN), this resource shares information about the relationship between Zyn and social media marketing strategies.

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Websites

Nicotine Pouches

The CDC emphasizes that nicotine pouches are not safe, especially for youth, young adults, and pregnant women, since they contain addictive nicotine, are marketed in youth-appealing ways by major tobacco companies.

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Zyn 101: What to Know About Big Tobacco's Latest Addiction

The American Lung Association(ALA) warns that nicotine pouches are rapidly gaining popularity among youth through social media promotion, despite containing harmful chemicals and posing serious addiction risks.

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Vaping 101: What's Changed Over Time

The image shows various pastel-colored electronic devices, including a power bank, a stylus, and a vaping device, arranged on a purple background.

Vaping products are changing quickly and many are designed to appeal to young people. New devices are small, easy to hide, and often come in fruity or sweet flavors, making them more tempting for teens and harder for adults to notice.

What are common types of Vapes?
Why are they risky?

What are common types of Vapes?

Why are they risky?

Resources

Documents
Websites

Documents

Electronic Cigarette and Vaping Devices Factsheet

This factsheet is designed to take a closer look at e-cigarettes, their health impacts on students, and current trends of e-cigarette use among youth.

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School E-Cigarette Toolkit

This toolkit is designed to guide district and school administrators in addressing the alarming increase in use of e-cigarettes among students.

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Websites

Guides to E-Cigarette and Vapes Presentation

This resource page was developed by the Center for Disease Control (CDC), designed for adults who educate and serve youth ages 11-18.

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Empower Vape-Free Youth Campaign

The Empower Vape-Free Youth^TM campaign encourages middle and high school educators to speak with students about the risks of e-cigarettes and nicotine addiction. The campaign includes resources for educators to help students avoid or quit vaping.

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Triangulum

The Triangulum refers to the intersection of tobacco, marijuana, and e-cigarettes, the latter being a delivery device for both, in addition to other substances. According to the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), cannabis can adversely affect the health of youth.

Like cigarettes, smoking cannabis can be harmful to your lungs.
Edibles may have higher concentrations of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). If you eat too much, too fast, you are at risk for poisoning.
Using cannabis regularly during teenage years and early 20s may lead to physical changes in the brain

Below you can find a webinar series, hosted by the California Department of Education (CDE) that explains ways in which TUPE Funded Programs can address the Triangulum.