News & Success Stories

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NPR Features Rescue Agency's Innovative Youth Cessation Solution: Quit the Hit

Post Date:04/26/2024 10:41 AM

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Announcement from Rescue Agency

According to the National Youth Tobacco Survey, approximately 1 in 4 youth vape nicotine every day. With addiction and mental health challenges rising, this leaves us with an urgent public health question: how can we support teens on their quitting journey beyond text-based programs?

In partnership with UCSF and Hopelab, we designed a social-media-based vaping cessation program for young people called Quit the Hit. Hosted entirely through coach-led group chats on Instagram, this 5-week program helps young people quit vaping in a personalized and supportive environment. To date, Quit the Hit has helped over 2,500 teens and young adults quit vaping.

And now, we are excited to share that NPR recently featured Quit the Hit on its podcast “Life Kit,” as an effective tool to help teens quit vaping.

The podcast interviewed Quit the Hit alum Serena Clark, who participated in a Quit the Hit group in Oklahoma at age 18. She knew she needed help when she began wheezing and having difficulty playing her flute.

She tried text-based programs but found the lack of personal support hindered her progress. With Quit the Hit, the program coach and the supportive peers within her quit group provided the personalized help she needed to quit for good.

"Instead of me wanting to vape now, the ways I deal with stress are I just go outside now, I look at the sun and the pretty birds...my life has been better, just better," said Serena Clark, Quit the Hit Participant.

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST 

In our evaluations, we found that this program has successfully helped thousands of young people quit or reduce their vaping:

  • 18% reduction in past 30-day vape use among teen participants
  • 95% of participants would recommend the program to others
  • 91% of participants utilized the information shared in the support group

If you’d like to learn more about how to help teens in your community quit vaping, please don’t hesitate to contact our team.

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