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TAMPA, Fla. — For Ellen Snelling, it’s still so surreal. In 2016, she got the unexpected phone call no one ever wants. Her brother died of a drug overdose in Miami.

“I was actually at Universal Studios. It was right before Christmas,” she remembered. “And got a phone call that he had overdosed and died — I just — I can’t describe how — it was just horrible.”

And then, in the summer of 2021, history nearly repeated itself when someone in her immediate family had a similar scare, and according to Snelling, “came very close to death” but miraculously survived.

“It’s almost like you can’t comprehend it,” said Snelling.

TAMPA, Fla. - Cindy Grant grew up among a large family of lobster fishermen, but after moving to Tampa she suffered an unimaginable tragedy. Now she has dedicated her life to helping others overcome substance abuse.

Vaping Among Teens

Vaping devices are popular among teens and are now the most commonly used form of nicotine among youth in the United States. Some research shows that many teens do not even realize that vaping cartridges contain nicotine, and assume the pods contain only flavoring. The easy availability of these devices, alluring advertisements, various e-liquid flavors, and the belief that they're safer than cigarettes have helped make them appealing to this age group. In addition, they are easy to hide from teachers and parents because they do not leave behind the stench of tobacco cigarettes, and are often disguised as flash drives.   NIDA- National Institute of Drug Abuse

Vaping Additional Information and Resources

Florida Health Department Data on Vaping

Vaping is not an issue only for high school students. Gary White, the associate director of the Hillsborough County Anti-Drug Alliance (HCADA) in Florida, provides vaping and tobacco education to students who have been cited per state statutes. The youngest student he has worked with was only nine. Recently, the organization worked with a 10-year-old boy who had been caught with 12 Juuls in school. (Juul is a popular brand of e-cigarette.) “When he attended our class, we questioned why he had so many Juuls,” says White. “His reply was, ‘A man at my apartment gave them to me. He said he’d pay me a part of the money I made when I sold them.’