Vape-Free Schools

Downloadable Tobacco-Free School Signage

Clear and visible signage is an important part of a comprehensive tobacco-free school policy. We have provided a free downloadable PDF of KDHE and KSDE's tobacco-free school sign as well as a round window-cling version. These signs are also available to order in aluminum versions from KDHE via the "No Cost Tobacco-Free Signage Available!"

Signage Resources

• No Cost Tobacco Free Signage
• Tobacco-Free School Poster (PDF)
• Tobacco-Free School Round Window Cling (PDF)

8 Elements of a Vape-Free School

8 Elements of a Vape-Free School (PDF):

1. Make sure your school has a Comprehensive Tobacco Free Policy
   1. Kansas State Board of Education's Recommended Comprehensive Tobacco-Free School Grounds Policy (PDF)
   2. Kansas State Board of Education’s E-Cigarette/Vaping Disciplinary Recommendations
   3. Use the school policy checklist in the Kansas Vape-Free Schools Toolkit (PDF) - page 10
   4. Model policy language in Toolkit - pages 12 and 13
   5. Model Tobacco-Free Policy for Kansas Schools (PHLC) (PDF)
2. "Get the Facts"
   1. Know the Risks; E-Cigarettes and Young People (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC))
   2. How Schools Can Help Students Stay Tobacco-Free (Tobacco Free Kids Campaign) (PDF)
   3. The Impact of E-Cigarettes on the Lung (American Lung Association) (PDF)
3. Share Information with Parents
   1. The Do's and Don'ts of Talking to Teens About Vaping (Kansas Vaping Task Force)
   2. Talk with Your Teen About E-Cigarettes: a Tip Sheet for Parents (CDC) (PDF) 
   3. What Parents Should Know About E-Cigarettes and Kids (American Lung Association)
   4. E-Cigarettes and Vaping: What Parents Need to Know (American Academy of Pediatrics) (PDF)
   5. E-Cigarette, or Vaping, Products Visual Dictionary (CDC) (PDF)
4. Promote Health Messaging throughout the school
   1. Free print and digital materials, such as posters (U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA))
      1. If You Don't Think Vaping Is Addictive, It May Have Already Altered Your Brain
      2. A Nicotine Free-Vape Is Not a Worry-Free Vape
   2. Free school posters targeting youth with messaging on the harms of nicotine and risk of addiction. These posters were developed by Hopkins One Voice Coalition with input from a youth focus group from Hopkins High school in Hopkins, MN:
      1. Think You Can Low Key Vape? (JPG)
      2. Vaping to Be Different - So Is Everyone Else (JPG)
      3. Vape Isn't Harmless Water Vapor (JPG)
      4. Vaping to Fit in - Typical (JPG)
5. Update Health Education Curriculum that addresses harms of nicotine and vapes
   1. Tobacco Industry Sponsored Youth Prevention Programs in School (CDC) (PDF)
   2. Tobacco Prevention Toolkit: E-Cigarettes and Vape Pens (Stanford Medicine)
   3. Taking Down Tobacco (Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids)
   4. Know the Risks: a Youth Guide to E-Cigarettes (CDC)
   5. The Real Cost of Vaping: Grades 9 through 12 (Scholastic and the FDA) (Scholastic and the FDA)
   6. CATCH My Breath™ E-cigarette and JUUL Prevention Program (UT Health)
6. Involve and Empower Students to Take Action
   1. Resist Tobacco Kansas
   2. Kansas Vape Free Schools Toolkit (KDHE, Resist and TFKC)
   3. Youth Initiatives through the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids
7. Enforce and Communicate your Policy
   1. Kansas E-Cigarette/Vaping Task Force Disciplinary Recommendations (PDF)
   2. Free - Tobacco Free Signage for Kansas Schools (KDHE)
   3. Addressing Student Tobacco Use in Schools: Alternative Measures (PHLC) (PDF)
   4. INDEPTH: An Alternative to Teen Nicotine Suspension or Citation (American Lung Association)
8. Provide Cessation Resources
   1. Free Truth Initiative Quit Programs for Students:
      1. This is Quitting/Become an Ex®
   2. My Life My Quit
   3. N-O-T On Tobacco

Promoting Awareness

• School administration can:
  • Strengthen and review your current tobacco-free and e-cigarette-free policy
  • Issue an advisory to parents and provide them with resources about talking to their teens
  • Promote health messaging throughout the school
• School health services can:
  • Educate students and parents on the harms of nicotine and e-cig use
  • Provide resources to parents about talking to teens
  • Share resources to help both students and adults quit tobacco
• Health educators and teachers can:
  • Update curriculum that addresses the harms of nicotine and e-cig use
  • Use relevant, youth-friendly lesson plans

Vape-Free School Resources for Parents & School Administrators

• Youth Tobacco Use in Kansas (PDF) 
• CDC Presentation: Know the Risks: A Youth Guide to E-Cigarettes 
• CDC Fact Sheet: E-Cigarettes Shaped Like USB Flash Drives (PDF) 
• Teachers and Parents: That USB Stick Might Be an E-Cigarette (PDF)
• Youth Vaping and Mental Health in Kansas (PDF)