CATSKILL, NY | April 1, 2026
Local youth are sacking tobacco. To raise awareness about the dangers of vaping, young people aged 12-18 from Coxsackie and Athens are taking part in a youth-led sack race in recognition of National Take Down Tobacco Day on April 1. The public event focuses on youth holding the tobacco industry accountable for its manipulative marketing tactics that target young people with flavored e-cigarettes/vapes and addict them to nicotine. Activities will highlight how the industry’s efforts continue to drive youth addiction.
Tobacco Free Action Communities (TFAC) in Columbia and Greene, Columbia Greene Addiction Coalition, and the Mental Health Association’s (MHA) Youth Clubhouse of Columbia-Greene Counties are hosting the Take Down Tobacco Day Sack Race.
“Youth addiction to nicotine is no accident,” said Jade Goodman, Reality Check Coordinator of TFAC Columbia Greene. “Kid-friendly flavors and, more recently, the addition of digital entertainment right on e-cigarette cartridges attract and addict our youth. At events like these our organization educates local communities about the impact tobacco industry marketing has on our young people.”
Take Down Tobacco National Day of Action is an annual day of youth advocacy. The nonprofit Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. Launched in 1996 as Kick Butts Day, it highlights the aggressive tobacco industry marketing of deadly tobacco products that contain high concentrations of harmful nicotine using fun candy-themed flavors that appeal to kids. Communities across the country are raising awareness about youth tobacco use and sharing on social media why it’s important to #TakeDownTobacco.
Although fewer young people are using tobacco than ever, 17% of high school youth in New York State use a form of tobacco, including nicotine-containing e-cigarettes, according to the 2024 New York Youth Tobacco Survey. While use declined to 13.1% in 2024 from a high of 27.4% in 2018, e-cigarettes are still the most used tobacco product among youth.
Tobacco companies make devices with fun, enticing flavors. The most popular e-cigarette flavors among youth, according to a 2019 University of Southern California study, include mint, tropical fruits, and dessert. In a disturbing new trend, e-cigarette makers are integrating digital entertainment into their products, including touch screens, built-in games and animated displays. These are better known as “smart vapes.” The tech features are accessible only while actively using these e-cigarettes and are very appealing to young users. These products are not approved by the FDA and are sold illegally in the U.S.—yet that hasn’t stopped youth in our communities from accessing them. The added gaming feature on nicotine-containing devices raises large concerns about youth dependency.
The most addictive ingredient in e-cigarettes—nicotine—can lead to even stronger dependency.
“It’s well documented that nicotine harms the adolescent brain,” said Jennifer Reilly Bluma, Community Engagement Coordinator at TFAC Columbia Greene, “and that the e-cigarette aerosol inhaled into the lungs contains toxic chemicals and heavy metals. Tobacco companies continue to make claims about e-cigarettes that are unproven by medical research.” The fact is e-cigarettes are tobacco products and tobacco products are dangerous. The harmful ingredients in these products can negatively impact health in a multitude of ways:
- E-liquids contain acrolein, an herbicide primarily used to kill weeds. It can cause irreversible lung damage.
- E-cigarettes cause chemical burns, scarring, inflammation, and acute respiratory illness, known as EVALI (vaping-associated pulmonary injury (VAPI) or vaping-associated lung injury (VALI).
- Nicotine is a highly addictive chemical delivered in high concentrations in e-cigarettes. According to research at UC San Francisco, popular modern brands of vape cartridges can easily have the nicotine content of three cartons or 600 cigarettes.
- E-cigarette use can lead to difficulty learning. When inhaled, nicotine absorbs into the bloodstream and quickly reaches the brain. This creates a cycle of dependence that makes it extremely difficult to quit, especially for young people whose brains are still developing. Early exposure to nicotine can affect a child’s attention control, learning, mood, and impulse control. Long term, this can lead to cognitive deficits and impaired academic performance. It can also increase susceptibility to addiction, anxiety, and depression.
- Nicotine raises blood pressure and heart rate. Daily e-cigarette use increases risk of heart attacks, according to a 2018 study by Harvard Medical School. Over time, nicotine use can harden arteries and lead to cardiovascular disease.
Quitting e-cigarettes is the best thing you can do for your health.
Community members are encouraged to support youth-led National Take Down Tobacco Day and ongoing efforts to reduce youth tobacco use locally. For more information, contact Reality Check Coordinator Jade Goodman at [email protected].
To learn more, visit TakeDownTobacco.org. If you can’t make the event, you can still take part by hosting your own activity and sharing why Why do you #TakeDownTobacco? on social media. Posts may be featured on Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids’ website on a national map at TakeDownTobacco.org
About TFAC Columbia Greene:
Tobacco Free Action Communities in Columbia & Greene, a program of the American Lung Association, is a network of local agencies and individuals working together to reduce the prevalence of tobacco use and to promote healthy communities. TFAC Columbia Greene serves Columbia and Greene counties in New York State. TFAC is funded by the New York State Department of Health Tobacco Control Program. To learn more visit: https://Tobaccofreenys.org/ and https://www.Lung.org/.
