About

CounterBalance educates Vermonters about the impact of tobacco marketing on young people in our state. As tobacco marketing has evolved, so has CounterBalance. Today our focus is on the epidemic of colorful and enticingly-flavored e-cigarettes harming our youth.

1 in 10 Vermont students who currently use electronic vapor products say they use them because they think they are less harmful than smoking.

Flavors and colorful packaging make tobacco products look much more appealing to young people. In 2018, 7.2% of middle school students said they currently use a tobacco product. With each grade, the rate of use increases.

Currently, CounterBalance is working to raise awareness about the dangers of flavored tobacco products.

The tobacco industry uses minty flavors and colorful packaging to make e-cigarettes, little cigars and chew seem more appealing. In fact, two-thirds of tobacco-using youth said they use these products because they come in flavors they like.

Find out what you can do to take a stand against flavored tobacco.

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What Our Youth Face

On average the nicotine in e-cigarettes increased 100% between 2013 and 2018.

There are high rates of sharing e-cigarettes among friends. Over half of current underage electronic vapor product users borrowed their device from someone else.

The amount of flavors available and used to market to youth and young adults doubled between 2014 and 2018.

Mint and Menthol Flavored Bait

More than half of underage tobacco users in the United States use menthol cigarettes. Among e-cigarette users mint is the second most commonly used flavor, after fruit.

The more often your children are exposed to flavored tobacco products and advertising, the more likely they are to start using tobacco. It’s time to end tobacco’s influence on Vermont’s youth.

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Connect with your community partner to learn how you can help address tobacco promotion in your area.