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Tobacco/Vaping Prevention and Cessation Program

Tobacco use is the #1 cause of preventable deaths in the US, including cigarettes, e-cigarettes, cigars, hookah, and chewing tobacco. Quitting will not only benefit you, but it will benefit anyone else living with you! It’s never too late to quit. Stopping the use of any form of tobacco significantly improves your health and reduces your risk of lung disease, cancer, heart disease and numerous other smoking-related illnesses. Did you know that you begin to feel the benefits of quitting smoking within as little as 20 minutes?

The Tobacco/Vaping Prevention and Cessation program focuses on tobacco/vaping education with the goal to prevent the start and decrease the number of individuals using tobacco/vaping in the community. Participants are also referred to the Texas Quit Line and MD Anderson for additional cessation support services.

For more information contact:

Paola Uranga
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 713-274-8501

Trained HCPH tobacco specialists provide:

Education sessions detailing the dangers of tobacco use including smoking and/or vaping, how it affects all organs in the body, the thousands of chemicals in vapes, and signs your loved one may be vaping. All presentations are modified for each audience and can be in English and/or Spanish.

  • CATCH My Breath for 5 to 12th Graders - CATCH My Breath is the only evidence-based youth nicotine vaping prevention program that has been proven to substantially reduce students’ likelihood of vaping.
  • Stanford Medicine Smart Talk: Cannabis Prevention & Awareness Curriculum for 3rd to 12th Graders: Part of the Stanford Cannabis Awareness & Prevention Toolkit, a 5-lesson theory-based and evidence-informed curriculum created by the Stanford REACH Lab as well as by Stanford’s Youth Action Board, educators, healthcare providers, and scientists across the U.S. for elementary, middle, and high school students.
  • Stanford Medicine You and Me, Together Vape-Free Curriculum for 3rd to 12th Graders: Part of the Stanford Tobacco Prevention Toolkit, a 6-lesson evidence-based curriculum created by the Stanford REACH Lab as well as by Stanford’s Youth Action Board, educators, healthcare providers, and scientists across the U.S. for elementary, middle, and high school students.
  • Freedom From Smoking (FFS) for Adults Ages 18+ - The American Lung Association's Freedom From Smoking® program is for tobacco users who are ready to quit. The program consists in 8 sessions over a period of two months.
  • Not On Tobacco (N-O-T) for ages 14-19 only - The American Lung Association's Not On Tobacco® (N-O-T) seeks to address the growing epidemic of vaping by giving all teens the resources they need to break nicotine dependency and find healthier outlets. The program takes a holistic approach with each session using different interactive learning strategies based on Social Cognitive Theory of behavior change that can then be applied and practiced in everyday life and encourages a voluntary change.

Tobacco/vaping cessation resources:

  • Texas Quitline Referrals for Smokers
  • MD Anderson Aspire Program & Text Line
  • Truth Initiative Online Modules 
  • BecomeanEX Online Modules 
  • Additional Text Quit Lines
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Tobacco/Vaping Education

English Spanish

Vaping Quick Facts

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Adults

BecomeanEx is an online social community, where individuals can receive tips and advice through text and email, expert guidance and interactive tools to help them quit and stay quit. To enroll in BecomeanEX, register online here.

For Parents of Vape users:

Parents of young vapers can text QUIT to 202-899-7550 to receive messages designed specifically for them, including tips and advice to help their young person quit. Your teen does not need to be enrolled in This is Quitting for you to use this service.

Teens and Young Adults (13-24):

Texas Quitline:

  • Harris County Public Health recommends the Texas Quitline, a program offered by the Texas Department of State Health Services. FREE confidential phone counseling services are available 24/7 along with resources such as nicotine patches, gums, or lozenges which may be free to those who qualify.
    To apply, please visit www.quitnow.net or call 1.877.YES.QUIT (1.877.937.7848)
  • For more information, call the Texas Quitline at 1.877.YES.QUIT. (1.877.937.7848) or visit yesquit.org
  • Please contact us if you would like to be self-referred by one of our Tobacco Cessation Specialists. 

TRUTH Initiative

  • 24/7, FREE and anonymous text messaging program
  • Teens can text VAPEFREETX to 88709 to sign up for the program. Once enrolled, they will receive about one message per day with tips, advice and encouragement to quit vaping. Throughout the program, teens can get additional support by texting in COPE, STRESS, SLIP or MORE at any time.
  • Click here to visit the website.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are e-Cigarettes, vapes, and other Electronic Nicotine Delivery System (ENDS) products?

Vapes, vaporizers, vape pens, hookah pens, electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes or e-cigs), e-cigars, and e-pipes are some of the many tobacco product terms used to describe electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS). Vapes contain chemicals that can cause a negative impact on the users’ health.

How do e-cigarettes/vapes work?

These products use an internal battery to heat e-juice into an aerosol to be inhaled by users.

What are the health effects of using e-cigarettes/vapes?

E-juice used in vapes contains thousands of toxic chemicals, many of which are known to cause cancer. Common chemicals found in e-juice include formaldehyde, propylene glycol, diacetyl, acrolein, and nicotine. Nicotine is a highly addictive chemical found in tobacco products. Nicotine is not safe for teens, young people, or pregnant and/or breastfeeding women.

Can e-cigarettes be used as a cessation method?

E-cigarettes/vapes have not been approved by the FDA as a cessation method for anyone interested in quitting tobacco.

Can you help me or someone I know quit smoking and/or vaping?
  • Yes, please contact our tobacco specialists to discuss options and resources.
  • Email Paola Uranga at [email protected]
  • Our Tobacco Cessation team can also refer you directly to the Texas Quitline.
  • Harris County Public Health recommends the Texas Quitline, a program offered by the Texas Department of State Health Services that provides FREE confidential phone counseling services and is available 24/7. The Texas Quitline also offers resources such as nicotine patches, gums, or lozenges which may be free to those who qualify. Please contact us to be referred or visit www.quitnow.net or call 1.877.YES.QUIT (1.877.937.7848)

How much do sessions cost?

FREE for all ages.

How long are sessions?

Sessions are generally one-hour and can be modified to fit your organization’s needs.

How can I participate?

Your organization can schedule an education session. To inquire about an education session contact:

Paola Uranga
Email: [email protected]

Phone: 713-274-8501