Public Health in the Rockies 2026

Following a 2023 nationwide settlement the Colorado Attorney General’s Office secured against Juul Labs, Inc. on behalf of Coloradans because the company targeted young people in their marketing and misrepresented the health risks posed by their vaping products, $11.4 million in grant funds was awarded through the Vaping Prevention Education Grant (VPEG) to 28 school districts, charter schools, BOCES, and facility schools statewide. The Colorado Attorney General’s Office and the Colorado Department of Education partnered on the VPEG grant opportunity, a comprehensive, multifaceted approach combining education, prevention, and treatment – that now supports K–12 education providers across Colorado with funding and technical assistance in their efforts to combat youth vaping.

Aligning with Public Health in the Rockies focal areas related to prevention and health promotion, policy and systems change, health equity, and community-engaged public health practice, this presentation will provide an overview of the VPEG program structure, required grant components, equitable selection criteria, and implementation strategies from select grantees.

By highlighting current school-based initiatives supported by VPEG funding, we hope to demonstrate how education providers can act as valuable partners in supporting equitable, prevention-oriented, and community-engaged public health strategies