Skip Ribbon Commands
Skip to main content
​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Among the emerging issues that negatively impact student success and health are the use of electro​​nic cigarette and vaping devices, increasing nicotine addiction among youth, and the "Triangulum" of tobacco, cannabis, and vaping.

Flavored Tobacco Ban
Candy Tob.png
In November 2022, California voters passed Proposition 31​, upholding the ban on flavored tobacco products in the state of California. This ban covers almost everything, from mango Elfbars to grape-flavored Swishers and menthol cigarettes​. Only hookah products and “premium” cigars are not included in the ban. Note that it may still​ be possible for people to purchase these items from online stores based outside of California. 
At the same time, The CA Department of Cannabis Control adopted new requirements​ banning non-cannabis flavorings in inhaled cannabis products. Adding similar flavorings to cannabis vape cartridges is no longer allowed.

Students should be especially wary of knock-offs and scams.  There is a history of counterfeit and contaminated vaping products, and the ban on sweet flavors could mean an increase in these products being sold in the illicit market. Many of the vaping illnesses and hospitalizations that occurred in 2019 across the United States were linked to contaminated cannabis vaping cartridges. Some sellers may carry fake lab testing certificates claiming their products are safe and free of contaminants.​
​​

Flavored Tobacco Ban Resources
Understand the Law

CA Voters ended the sale of most flavored tobacco products. View a brief video about the law and access articles about how this affects the general population, and retailers in CA.

Visit Site
Guide for Parents

Within the PDF, families may learn more about flavor ban law, identifying signs of vaping, and strategies for talking to their teens.

Download

Vaping 101

Since their widespread commercial release in 2009, there has been a consistent increase in the use of electronic cigarettes or “vapes”. The rise in use by youth is an alarming concern that is the main focus of many prevention programs.

 

Anatomy of ​an E-Cigarette

Image from: Stanford Tobacco Prevention Toolkit

Components of E-Liquid​​

​​​​
​​

Vaping Resources
CDE - Electronic Cigarette and Vaping Devices Factsheet

Electronic Cigarettes and Vaping Devices: Nicotine Addiction Repackaged. This factsheet is designed to take a closer look at c-cigarettes, their health impacts on students, and current trends of e-cigarette use among American youth.

Download
CDE - School E-Cigarette Toolkit

School E-Cigarette Toolkit: Addressing Student Use of E-Cigarettes. This toolkit is ​designed to guide district and school administrators in addressing the alarming increase in use of e-cigarettes among students.​​​

Download
Partnership to End Addiction - Vaping & E-Cigarettes

Read about vaping, signs of use, and ways to prevent and address​ teen vaping. Check out the "Vaping Guide for Parents" in English and Spanish.

Visit Site
CDC - E-Cigarettes and Youth - What Educators and Coaches Need to Know

Learn about vape devices, impacts on adolescent health, and prevention strategies for educators.​​​​

Download

Nicotine Addiction
 
According to the National Institute of Health, nicotine is especially harmful to youth because their brain is still developing and this makes it easier for them to become hooked. It can cause other long-lasting consequences in the brain, including making it more difficult to concentrate, learn, or control impulses.

Image from: Stanford Tobacco Prevention Toolkit

According to Stanford University, vape manufacturers have also developed nicotine salts, which may be more concentrated and less harsh on the throat. This is of particular concern because it allows for nicotine to be used more easily, which increases the likelihood of trying an e-cigarette and becoming dependent. The milligrams of nicotine found in a pod is more than double the amount of nicotine in a pack of cigarettes.​​​​​​​​​

Nicotine Resources
Stanford Tobacco Prevention Toolkit

Tobacco and vaping prevention curricula and ready-to-share resources, such as the "Cigs in a Pod" image found above.

Visit Site
Smokefree Teen - Nicotine & Addiction

Explore topics such as nicotine addiction among youth, risks, and tips for quitting tobacco and vape use.

Visit Site

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

TUPE Funded Programs

TUPE funds can be used to address the Triangulum in the following ways:

  • Educate students, staff, families, and communities on the Triangulum
  • Survey administration and collect data on co-use and vaping
  • Form interagency partnerships and engage with existing coalitions
  • Create youth development opportunities and learning service projects that focus on refusal skills and making healthy choices​​
    ​


Triangulum Resources
CDE Webinar Series - The Triangulum: Tobacco-Vaping-Marijuana

Webinar #1: TEROC Guidance grounds the audience on the definition of the triangulum, its implications, and provides guidance on utilizing TUPE funds to protect youth.

Watch Video
CDE Webinar Series - The Triangulum: Tobacco-Vaping-Marijuana

Webinar #2: Education and Youth Development provides the audience with information on strategies that can be used to keep youth from becoming hooked by the triangulum.

Watch Video
CDE Webinar Series - The Triangulum: Tobacco-Vaping-Marijuana

Webinar #3: Interagency Partnerships and Family Engagement, provides the audience with strategies to engage families in conversations about the Triangulum.

Watch Recording
CDE - Triangulum Factsheet

The Triangulum: Tobacco-Marijuana-Vaping - Protecting Youth with TUPE Funds. ​This fact sheet defines the triangulum and explains how to use TUPE funds to prevent the vaping and co-use of marijuana and tobacco.

Download PDF
Stanford - Cannabis Awareness & Prevention Toolkit

A set of cannabis prevention lessons and​​ resources that can be adapted to fit the individual needs of educators and students in various settings​, including elementary, middle, and high schools.

Visit Site

Safe Disposal of Vape Waste
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.
confiscated-vapes.jpg
  • ​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.
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 linked below.​
Providing Guidance on Safe Disposal of Vape Waste at K-12 Schools in California

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

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

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

Download
On this page
OCDE Logo CDE Logo

This Internet site contains hypertext links to information created and maintained by other public and private organizations. These links are provided for your convenience. The Orange County Department of Education does not control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness or completeness of this outside information. Further, the inclusion of links to particular items in hypertext are not intended to reflect their importance, nor is it intended to endorse any views expressed or products or services offered on these outside sites, or the organizations sponsoring the sites.

2020 CA TUPE: Developed by the Orange County Department of Education in partnership with the California Department of Education.