BOZEMAN — Montana State University’s Escape the Vape program started as an initiative to remind students about their tobacco-free campus policy.
Today, it’s evolved into an awareness campaign for students looking to cut the habit.
“I think I was inspired by seeing how prevalent it’s gotten and seeing how nationally, even how just the increase in students and even people as young as middle-schoolers using these devices,” said Rachel Park, a student at Montana State University and an intern at MSU’s University Health Partners.
Interns at University Health Partners have kicked off the No Vape November Campaign as a way of spreading awareness of the risks of vaping for students, as well as incentivizing students to get rid of their vapes for good.
“During November they can trade in their device for a 25 dollar gift card to a local Bozeman restaurant,” said Darby Mackenstadt, intern at University Health Partners.
“And it’s kind of a good incentive to those students that want to quit vaping or know about the research and are kind of turned off by the social aspects that are involved with vaping.”
Since Escape the Vape started earlier this year, the campaign has collected 37 electronic cigarettes.
And they expected to collect more as the bad news about vaping related illnesses continues to spread across the country.
The vape trade-in drive also helps people looking for a sustainable way to throw away their electronic cigarettes.
“They have plastics, battery acid, electronic circuits all in them. So it’s kinda like a cellphone you can’t just throw it away,” said Parks
Escape the Vape will hold 3 more vape trade drives for the month of November.
You can learn more about the organization about vaping and e-cigarette usage FAQ on their website: http://www.montana.edu/oha/tobaccofree/
