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Jake Petersen, School Resource Officer, Wake Forest University School of Medicine

December 31, 2025
“You see kids taking basically smoke breaks, leaving class to go to the bathroom or wander around campus just to get another hit and feed that addiction. I’ve talked to kids who say it helps relieve stress, whether it’s school stress or things going on at home or socially. But...

Eric Soule, Professor, Wake Forest University School of Medicine

December 31, 2025
“Talk to kids early about [e-cigarettes] and their risks so that kids know that they can ask questions and that they can be supported. The more positive interactions you have with kids, whether through sports, academics, or just quality time, can go a really long way and open up conversations...

Joseph Lee, Professor, Wake Forest University School of Medicine

December 31, 2025
“Tobacco is already more available than McDonald’s or almost any other product. One of the key things is getting a handle on underage people’s ability to access tobacco products, and that means raising the state law to the national law to match. It means investing in licensing so that we...

Jessica Young, Clinical Assistant Professor, UNC Division of General Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine

December 31, 2025
“I always try to counsel patients and families that pretty much anything that you’re putting into your lungs, that’s not healthy air to breathe or, for certain patients, some prescribed medications by their healthcare provider is really not helpful for your body or for your lungs and has the potential...

David Willard, Region 3 Tobacco Lead, NC Department of Public Health

December 31, 2025
“Our local partners are our biggest asset. Working through them and with them to try to initiate tobacco control initiatives in their respective areas is where we focus a lot of our efforts. The locals know their communities better than anybody else, so it’s always great to have champions at...

Ernest Watts, Region 8 Tobacco Lead, NC Department of Public Health

October 1, 2024
“When I started this job 2012, [vaping] was limited just to high school. Now it’s in elementary school. And if you think about how children are being manipulated, it will make you angry. Anger is not going to solve this problem; It’s collectively bringing everybody on board, educators, church members,...

Charlene Zorn, Parent Advocate, New Hanover County, NC

September 1, 2024
​​​​ “As a community we need to stop the vaping industry from harming our children. I don’t want to see another family suffer the loss my family has. Please talk to your children over and over about the dangers of vaping.” 

Lani Callison, Regional Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Manager, NC DHHS – Chronic Disease & Injury

August 1, 2024
“The challenges in tobacco prevention and cessation work have grown exponentially with the advent of vaping, e-cigarettes, dab pens, nicotine pouches, synthetic nicotine, vape shops–you name it. Along with this has come some of the most effective and ruthless digital marketing that bombards and targets youth. Big Tobacco and Big...

Brandi Thayer, Social Determinants of Health Coordinator, Haven House Services

July 1, 2024
“We know from a trauma- informed perspective that substance use is widely used as a coping mechanism, and our efforts to understand tobacco and nicotine use have uncovered that prevention and control efforts could take note from this perspective in finding ways to allow teens and young adults that use...

Julie Hartzell, LCSW, NCTTP, UNC Hospitals Inpatient Tobacco Treatment Specialist, UNC Family Medicine Tobacco Treatment Program

June 1, 2024
“The goal of the inpatient program is to support patients experiencing a health crisis and to inspire them to view their hospitalization as an opportunity to become tobacco-free. Nicotine replacements and counseling are offered during admission and resources for continued support are offered at discharge. Offering standardized and evidence-based teaching...