North Carolinians for a Tobacco-Free Generation Podcast

In this episode, NCTFG sits down with Mansib, Uma, and Cameron from the Youth Empowerment Team at the Poe Center for Health Education in North Carolina to explore how young people are leading important conversations around tobacco and nicotine prevention. They share insights from their advocacy projects, including the ways social norms, addiction, mental health, and easy access to tobacco products...

In this episode, we sit down with Nevaeh, Ella, and My Linh, who serve as youth ambassadors for the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. As advocates, they are on the front lines of the fight against teen tobacco and nicotine use. These young leaders share what inspired them to get involved, the challenges they’re seeing in their communities, and how they’re working to create real change. From raising...

In this episode, Caroline Joyce, Executive Director of Parents Against Vaping E-cigarettes (PAVe), discusses how parents can play a key role in addressing the youth vaping epidemic. She shares how the organization was founded, the challenges families face when discovering their child is vaping, and why nicotine addiction can develop so quickly among young people. Joyce also explains how compassion...

In this podcast episode, Jake Peterson, a school resource officer (SRO) at Eastern Alamance High School in North Carolina, discusses his experiences with students engaging in vaping and e-cigarette use. Peterson emphasizes the importance of building trust with students beyond a traditional law enforcement role to effectively address and mitigate vaping incidents. The challenges faced by schools in...

E-cigarettes were once seen as a safer alternative to smoking, but today, vaping among youth and young adults is one of the most pressing public health challenges. In this episode, we talk with Dr. Joseph Lee from Wake Forest University and Dr. Eric Soule from East Carolina University about how vaping has evolved, what drives young people to start, and what strategies are showing promise in preven...

In this episode we talk with Dr. Jessica Young, a pediatrician and preventive medicine physician at UNC Chapel Hill. Dr. Young shares what she sees in her clinic when it comes to youth vaping, how the products have changed, common misconceptions among parents, and the serious risks to adolescent brain and lung health. She also talks about strategies pediatricians use to start conversations with te...

In this episode, Rachael Joyner and Jim Martin highlight the significant progress made in supporting people on their journey to quit tobacco as well as tobacco control policies across North Carolina, including creating tobacco-free schools, banning smoking in restaurants and bars, and increasing the minimum smoking age to 21. Rachael and Jim’s work has emphasized the importance of taking a compreh...

In this episode, David Willard joins us to discuss the importance of local involvement in tobacco control efforts. Willard highlights the significance of building partnerships with youth organizations to effectively reach and educate young people about the risks of tobacco and vaping products and emphasizes the need for consistent messaging and creative strategies to foster a tobacco-free generati...

In this episode, Charlene Zorn, a parent advocate from New Hanover County, NC, shares the story of her son, Solomon, who passed away due to vaping related circumstances. She and Ernest Watts discuss the importance of education and policy enforcement to prevent youth vaping across North Carolina and the entire country. Charlene and Ernest emphasize the need for stronger enforcement of Tobacco 21 le...

In this episode, Toshia Jordan from the Fuquay-Varina Coalition for a Healthy and Safe Community shares her journey in tobacco prevention work in North Carolina. She discusses the importance of creating safe spaces for youth to seek support and highlights the significant role schools and trusted adults play in substance use prevention. With a focus on brain development and mental health, Toshia em...