Growing up in a rural community, I’ve seen firsthand how the tobacco industry deliberately targets youth and young people. Bright packaging, candy flavors and flashy social media ads make e-cigarettes seem not only harmless but fun. But underneath the hype lies a dangerous addiction waiting to take hold — a trap I’ve watched far too many of my peers fall into.
That’s why I’m thankful for lawmakers like Rep. Celeste Maloy, the Republican co-chair of the Bipartisan Congressional Caucus to End Youth Vaping, for her leadership. Earlier this fall, I joined a roundtable discussion in Salt Lake City with Rep. Maloy, state and local leaders, health experts, and advocates to talk about how we can better protect kids from nicotine addiction. Seeing Republicans, Democrats and student leaders at the same table — including members of the Utah College Republicans — reminded me this isn’t a partisan issue. It’s about protecting kids’ health — an issue we all care about.
Despite decades of progress, the fight isn’t over. Tobacco use remains the leading cause of preventable death in the United States, killing nearly 500,000 Americans every year. The industry hasn’t slowed down — it’s simply shifting tactics. E-cigarettes in kid-friendly candy and fruit flavors are the new gateway to nicotine addiction, and youth across the country are paying the price. More than 1.6 million kids nationwide use e-cigarettes, including over 13,000 high school students in Utah. What most people don’t realize is just how much nicotine these widely available devices contain — including some on the market that contain as much nicotine as 20 packs of cigarettes. Using nicotine at a young age can harm brain development, affecting memory, learning and focus.
I’ve seen the impacts up close. I’ve watched friends who started vaping in middle school, thinking it was harmless, struggle with anxiety and withdrawal in high school. I’ve watched classmates sneak into bathrooms between classes just to take a hit, unable to focus without it. And I’ve watched addiction take hold of young people looking for relief from stress or insecurity, only to suffer from deeper struggles — all a result of calculated industry tactics.
The first time I heard about e-cigarettes, I was in sixth grade. Friends invited me to try vaping, saying it was like “smoking, but not bad for you.” Something in me said “no,” and I’m grateful I listened. I didn’t know it then, but that small decision would spark a lifelong commitment to prevention. I want to protect my peers from the lies sold by the tobacco industry and the products marketed as harmless but designed to addict. And I want to protect my five younger sisters by helping to create a safer, healthier future for them — one free from addiction and manipulation by the tobacco industry. That’s why I became an advocate.
Over the past few years, I’ve led education campaigns, mentored younger students and worked with youth statewide to push for better policies. What keeps me going is the belief that when young people are trusted and empowered, we can create real change. But we can’t push back against a billion-dollar industry without the help of our elected leaders. I urge our state and federal lawmakers to stand with us and stand up to the tobacco and e-cigarette industry. Without policy changes that are proven to prevent and reduce tobacco use among kids and help people quit, more young people will become addicted, more lives will be lost, and more families will be left to pick up the pieces. We simply can’t afford to wait.