The Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) released a new anti-vaping campaign animated video for children ages 5-7.
Created by ADH staff, Coral’s Reef is a campaign designed to educate young children. The average age of nicotine initiation for minors in Arkansas is 13 years of age. Most anti-vaping campaigns target children 10 years of age and up. Coral’s Reef videos and materials are designed to reach children with anti-vaping and anti-nicotine messages before they start getting messages from peers and the vaping industry.
According to data analysis on the initiation of electronic cigarette use among youth in the U.S., e-cigarette smoking can begin as young as 7 years of age. In Arkansas, the percentage of high school students who use e-cigarettes is now more than double the percentage of high school students who smoke. With e-cigarette usage becoming more frequent among younger children, the need for effective prevention messaging for young Arkansans has become crucial.
To date, two episodes have been released. The first episode has been viewed by over 17,000 Arkansas students. To watch the most recent episode of Coral’s Reef, visit: Coral’s Reef – Nicotine Ep. 2 - YouTube.
Campaign materials can be requested at BeWellArkansas.org.
