State launches app to help young people quit vaping

The Washington State Department of Health is launching a new app to help teens and young people quit vaping.

Hundreds of cases of lung illnesses related to vaping have been reported across the country. At least 13 people have died.

>>Related: Fourth lung illness linked to vaping confirmed in Washington

The DOH and digital health company 2Morrow created the app that works on smartphones, tablets, laptops and desktop computers.  It's free to people who live in Washington at doh.wa.gov/quit.

Through 10 short lessons, app users learn how to deal with cravings and negative thoughts and can track progress toward their goal.

According to the Washington State Healthy Youth Survey, about 30 percent of high school seniors used vapor products in 2018.

In another survey by 2Morrow, 87.5 percent of the teens surveyed reported they had thought about quitting vaping.  Of those, 71.4 percent said they felt they would quit before they turned 21.

>>Related: Pierce County man files vaping lawsuit

But health officials say many teens don't understand the risks from vaping or how hard it is to quit.

According to the DOH, users of similar 2Morrow programs are six times more likely to quit than those doing it on their own.

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