SAN DIEGO — San Diego Unified School District will soon launch its “Voices for Change” PSA contest for a second year, giving students a platform to speak out through art and storytelling about the dangers of vaping and its impact on mental health.
The teen vaping epidemic remains a serious concern in schools. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1.63 million students reported using e-cigarettes last year. The CDC also noted that youth vaping can damage parts of the brain tied to attention, learning, mood and impulse control.
To help address the problem locally, San Diego Unified School Board Trustee Sabrina Bazzo helped kickstart the campaign after the district received settlement funds from its lawsuit against the vape brand JUUL, which was accused of disrupting learning in the classroom. She said the district wanted to ensure that the money went toward prevention and education…