Brooklyn event encourages young people to pass on vapes
BEDFORD-STUYVESANT, Brooklyn — According to statistics, more than 60,000 young people in New York City use e-cigarettes, some as young as 11 years old.
"Vaping is not cool. It's not a safe alternative to smoking," said Andre Richardson of Flavors Hook NYC Kids.
He says the biggest threat are fruity flavors aimed kids, and the mint and menthols flavors.
65 youth organizations have pledged to raise awareness about the dangers of menthol cigarettes and flavored e-cigarettes.
Also at the event was NYC Health Commissioner Dr. Oxiris Barbot.
"This kind of outdoor event really highlights how important it is to have a youth voice in this fight against big tobacco."
The event here is designed to give kids healthy options instead of vaping: when you feel like fruity flavors, go for the real thing.
The event also featured a poetry slam. Zubaida Bello spoke from the heart about the pain her mom's addiction to smoking has caused. Also on hand was NYC youth poet laurette Camyrn Bruno, who penned a poem that likened fishing to vaping.
"Let's use our healthy lungs to blow away the bait."
The main goal of events like this one is education, encouraging parents to start a dialogue with their children about the dangers of vaping.