Raleigh Families Attend New Joint Vaping Education Class
The program brings parents and teens together to discuss health risks and build effective refusal techniques.
Updated on Oct. 24, 2026 in Asthma
Live Poll
Do you believe parents should take a more active role in educating their teens about vaping?
The Poe Center for Health Education in Raleigh recently hosted its first joint Vaping 101 class for parents and teenagers. This initiative aims to foster open dialogue about the health risks associated with vaping to help prevent youth addiction.
Why it matters
Prevention experts highlight the need for early intervention as national usage rates remain a concern, with one in five high schoolers and one in 10 middle schoolers reporting vape use. Establishing these communication channels is a key strategy for families to address substance use risks before they escalate.
Public health surveillance indicates vaping remains widespread among youth, with usage reported by 1 in 5 high school students and 1 in 10 middle school students. While these figures remain lower than the 2019 usage peak, the long-term impact of family-based education on individual quit rates is still under study.
The players
Poe Center for Health Education
A Raleigh-based nonprofit organization that provides health and nutrition education programs for children and families.
Susan Bragg Foster
A veteran substance use prevention educator with 13 years of experience at the Poe Center for Health Education.
The details
The program brings parents and teens into a shared space to facilitate direct conversations about the physiological impact of nicotine and chemicals on the developing body. Participants also learn practical refusal techniques designed to help students resist peer pressure. By targeting the household dynamic, the center aims to replace silence with knowledge.
Timeline
2019: Teen vape usage reached its peak.
2024: A 30-minute documentary on teen vaping was released by WRAL.
October 24, 2026: The Poe Center hosted its first joint parent-teen vaping class.
Health Landscape
This program builds on the public awareness raised by the 2024 WRAL teen vaping documentary by shifting the focus from broad education to direct family-level intervention. It represents a practical attempt to translate concerns about widespread youth vaping into actionable home-based prevention strategies.
Families can use these classroom sessions to practice open communication about the specific health risks of nicotine and to rehearse how to handle social pressure. If you are concerned about a teenager's habits, these programs provide a structured environment to initiate a conversation with your pediatrician.
The takeaway
Early dialogue between parents and children is a primary tool for preventing the onset of vaping addiction. Families should prioritize consistent, non-judgmental conversations about health risks and consult their primary care physician if they need resources for substance use support.
Further reading
For more information on the impact of inhaled substances on respiratory health, visit the Asthma section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by WRAL.
Live Poll
Do you believe parents should take a more active role in educating their teens about vaping?
