Public Health in the Rockies 2026

Background: Youth vaping has become a significant public health concern, with increasing numbers of young people using electronic vapor products. Emerging research links vaping not only to nicotine addiction, respiratory problems, and potential long-term effects on brain development, but also to higher rates of anxiety, depression, and trauma-related symptoms. Research on cessation treatments for youth is limited and continues to evolve. Denver Health was awarded funding from the Denver Department of Public Health and Environment in late 2024 to identify specific mental health challenges associated with youth vaping, design and implement evidence-informed mental health interventions, provide trauma-informed counseling tailored to youth who vape, and implement and manage nicotine replacement therapy as a core cessation strategy.

Methods: Denver Health staff worked closely with a Youth Advisory Board to center youth input on program development and translate those insights into practical strategies across various settings including medical clinics, school-based clinics, and community organizations.

Data collection included a youth focus group, surveys from youth and young adults (130) and medical and behavioral health providers (86), and provider interviews (24). Qualitative data were thematically analyzed and synthesized into 4 main intervention categories.

Results: Findings emphasized the importance of combining mental health assessment, counseling, Nicotine Replacement Therapy, and other youth-informed strategies to support both mental well-being and vaping cessation for youth and young adults across clinical and community settings. The findings also underscored the need for clinical care settings to provide consistent, routine screening for mental health conditions and vaping use, protect patient confidentiality, and offer ongoing follow-up opportunities to support vaping cessation and address mental health concerns.

Implications: Engagement of youth and healthcare providers highlights the feasibility and value of a collaborative, co-design approach that integrates lived experience with clinical expertise to develop effective programs to support vaping cessation and mental health among youth.