Unit 4: Why do E-cigarettes and Vape Pens Matter to Young People?

Purpose

This activity will help students analyze and understand why e-cigarettes/vape pens are becoming more appealing to and used by youth.

Preparation

Materials Needed: Computer, UNIT 4: WHY DO E-CIGARETTESS/VAPE PENS MATTER TO YOUNG PEOPLE? PowerPoint,  Internet Access or Previously downloaded powerpoint, and a Projector

Handout: Unit 4: Activity 1: Brainstorm Worksheet

Procedure

Using the “Activity 7. Brainstorm” worksheets, ask the students to name some reasons young people smoke e-cigarettes/vape pens, reasons adults smoke e-cigarettes/vape pens, and reasons young people choose not to smoke e-cigarettes/vape pens.  

Using Paper Worksheets: Project the worksheets one at a time and as the students list reasons, write the reasons on the worksheet around the silhouette figure. As the list of reasons grows, the silhouette figure will appear crowded on the page. After the students are done listing reasons, draw arrows from the listed reasons pointing towards the figure. Explain that there are many factors that influence an individual’s decision to smoke e-cigarettes/vape pens and their opinions about e-cigarettes/vape pens. Ask,  “What do you notice about these responses?” “What similarities or differences stand out to you?”

Using PowerPoint: Working in small groups, have students write the reasons on the worksheet around the silhouette figure. Use the prompting questions to guide them if necessary. As the list of reasons grows, the silhouette figure will appear crowded on the page. After the students are done listing reasons, have them read some responses aloud and type them over the red question marks on the corresponding slides. Project the slides one at a time after students list reasons. Click and arrows from the listed reasons will point towards the figure. Explain that there are many factors that influence an individual’s decision to smoke e-cigarettes/vape pens and their opinions about e-cigarettes/vape pens. Allow for discussion and/or observations on the discussion slide.

Talking Points

Brainstorming (10 minutes)

• Why do people your age use e-cigarettes/vape pens?

  • How do e-cig/vape commercials influence a teen’s choice?

  • How could friends influence a teen’s choice?

  • How could parents/family influence a teen’s choice?

  • In what ways could myths or misinformation about e-cigarettes/vape pens affect a teen’s choice?

  • In what ways does social media influence a teen’s decision?

  • How do the many flavor options make e-cigarettes/vape pens appealing?

• Why do you think adults use e-cigarettes/vape pens?

  • How does an adult’s social environment influence their decision to smoke?

  • How could someone’s job affect their choice to smoke?

  • In what ways does social media influence an adult’s decision?

  • How an adult’s past decision to smoke cigarettes affect their decision to use e-cigarettes/vape pens?

• Why do people your age don’t use e-cigarettes/vape pens?

  • How do e-cig/vape commercials influence a teen’s choice?

  • How could friends influence a teen’s choice?

  • How could parents/family influence a teen’s choice?

  • In what ways could information about e-cigarettes/vape pens affect a teen’s choice?

    In what ways does social media influence a teen’s decision?

Discussion (10 minutes)

Facilitate a discussion about responses.

• What do you notice about our responses? (allow for discussion)
• What similarities or differences stand out to you? (allow for discussion)
• It’s important to remember that individuals’ choices about whether to use e-cigarettes/vape pens can be very different and can be influenced by many factors
• E-cig/vape companies recognize these differences between individuals and have made ad campaigns meant to target groups of people based on these characteristics. Examples of these targeting tactics are discussed in Unit 4 Activity 2.

Purpose

This activity provides a script that teachers can use to initiate discussions about the history of tobacco, the tobacco industry, and tobacco control.  Embedded within the scripted discussion are various ads or videos that could be shown to further make the points.

Preparation

Materials Needed: Computer, Projector, PowerPoint

Handout: None

Procedure

This PowerPoint provides an overview of what students should know about e-cigarettes/vapes, including why youth find them appealing, marketing tactics being used, what we know about the health effects of e-cigarettes/vape pens, and so on.  At the end of the PowerPoint are some debriefing activities that you can use with the students.

Purpose

This activity is designed to provide information on how e-cigarettes/vape pens advertisements are constructed to appeal to youth so youth can identify how they are being manipulated by the industry to become lifelong customers.

Preparation

Materials Needed: Easel paper and markers, Print advertisements (e-cigarette/vape pen ads can be found at the Stanford Research into the Impact of Tobacco Advertising website)

Handout: “Examples of Memorable Ads”, “Deconstructing Advertisements Worksheet”), Computer, UNIT 4: WHY DO E-CIGARETTESS/VAPES MATTER TO YOUNG PEOPLE? PowerPoint (starting at slide 23),Internet Access, and a Projector

Procedure

Brainstorm (10 Minutes)

•Think of an advertisement that you really like

•Now think of one that really annoys you

•Turn to a partner and share the ad that you thought about and why

•If you’re having trouble, you can use these examples for reference (click)

(After about 1-2 minutes, ask for a few volunteers to share an ad that came to mind.)

•What are some of the things that the different ads have in common? [Record responses on the board or easel paper.]

•What are some of the things that the advertisers did to get your attention? (i.e., funny, famous spokesperson, attractive people, etc.) [Record responses on the board or easel paper.]

•Companies spend a lot of money figuring out how to get the attention of the people who they would like to buy their product.

•E-cigarette companies are no different. In 2014, e-cigarettes/vape pens advertising totaled $88.1 million

•Why do you think that companies are willing to spend so much money on advertising?

•Does anyone know what a target audience is?

Combine responses from a few students to form a class definition.

If needed, summarize with the following definition: A target audience is a specific group of people, for which a particular product is aimed.

Deconstructing Advertising Messages (10 Minutes)

Talking Point: We're going to be looking at how ads are made, and how they work to twist the truth and try and change your mind about a product.

Procedure: Using the “Unit 4: Activity 3: Deconstructing Advertisements” worksheet, ask the students to get into pairs and deconstruct an e-cigarettes/vape pens ad. Provide each pair with an ad and ask them to answer the questions on their deconstructing advertisements worksheet. If time allows, ask for pairs to share their ad and responses to one of more questions on the handout.

Creating New Ads/Messages (20 minutes):

Talking Point: Let’s imagine that there is a new law and the advertisers for e-cigarettes/vape pens have to be 110% honest about their product, including what they do and don’t know. How might the ads be different? 

Procedure: Provide each group with poster paper and markers and ask them to rewrite/design their ad, based on their new 110% honest slogan.

Depending on how much time you have, either have each group present their ad to the group (this will take longer) or have each group hang their ad around the room so everyone can do a gallery walk to view all of the ads.

Possible Discussion Questions:

• Today we focused on print advertising. This is only one type of advertising that companies use to get our attention.
• What are some other types of advertising that we encounter in our daily lives? (social media, TV/radio commercials, online ads, product placement, posters at stores, event sponsorship, etc.)
• Ask specifically about ads that are marketed towards youth on places such as Facebook or Instagram, or through Google/Yahoo searches.
• Why is it important for us to be aware of and understand advertising strategies and messages?
• Explanation/response: Advertising is ALL around us. It is important that we are aware of the ways in which companies try to recruit us as customers.

Purpose

This activity provides a students an opportunity to breakdown some of the common marketing strategies used by tobacco companies

Preparation

Materials Needed: Computer, Projector, PowerPoint, Poster Paper, Markers

Handout: "Deconstruction Advertisements" Worksheets

Procedure

• Using the “Unit 4: Activity 2: Deconstructing Advertisements” worksheet, ask the students to get into pairs and deconstruct an e-cigarettes/vape pens ad. Provide each pair with an ad and ask them to answer the questions on their deconstructing advertisements worksheet. If time allows, ask for pairs to share their ad and responses to one of more questions on the handout.
• Provide each group with poster paper and markers and ask them to rewrite/design their ad, based on their new 110% honest slogan.
• Depending on how much time you have, either have each group present their ad to the group (this will take longer) or have each group hang their ad around the room so everyone can do a gallery walk to view all of the ads.

Possible Discussion Questions:

• Today we focused on print advertising. This is only one type of advertising that companies use to get our attention.
• What are some other types of advertising that we encounter in our daily lives? (social media, TV/radio commercials, online ads, product placement, posters at stores, event sponsorship, etc.)
• Ask specifically about ads that are marketed towards youth on places such as Facebook or Instagram, or through Google/Yahoo searches.
• Why is it important for us to be aware of and understand advertising strategies and messages?
• Explanation/response: Advertising is ALL around us. It is important that we are aware of the ways in which companies try to recruit us as customers.
  
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https://tinyurl.com/TPTUNIT4QUIZ

This activity is a Kahoot quiz, along with instructions, that you can use with your students to gain their understanding of the material presented.  You can give this quiz using the Kahoot.it web interface, making the quiz a fun contest between the students, or just the old-fashioned way of handing out a quiz. 

If internet connection is not accessible to you, download the PDF version of the quiz below. Be sure to hand out the "Quiz" version to students and not the "Answer Key" version.

Last updated on 1/28/20 at 2:45pm PDT

Discussion guides are intended to facilitate communication between caregiver and student after the unit is taught. Students can review the content from the classroom with their caregivers and then discuss their thoughts using the Discussion Guide to start the conversation.