The "Story Behind the Curve" helps us understand why the data on youth electronic cigarette use is the way that it is in our community. When we understand the root causes of our community problems, we have a better chance of finding the right solutions, together.

What's Helping? 

These are the positive forces at work in our community and beyond that influence this issue in our community.

• Tobacco media campaigns like the Tru ads
• Tobacco policies 
• Negative coverage about harmful effects of electronic cigarettes
• Education for parents/guardians, school faculty, and youth

What's Hurting? 

These are the negative forces at work in our community and beyond that influence this issue in our community.

• Media and promotion that targets youth
• Two vape stores in walking distance to high school
• Lack of education for adults on new products, like Juul
• The way products can be used discretely 
• Misconception that electronic cigarettes are not harmful

Partners in our Community Health Improvement Process:  

• Healthy Carolinians of Jackson County
• Jackson County Department of Public Health
• Jackson County Public Schools
• Mountain Projects
• MountainWise
• WNC Healthy Impact

Partners with a Role in Helping Our Community Do Better on This Issue: 

• Healthy Carolinians of Jackson County
• Jackson County Department of Public Health
• Jackson County Public Schools
• Mountain Projects
• MountainWise
• Quit Line NC
• WNC Healthy Impact

The following actions have been identified by our School Health Advisory Council and community members as ideas for what can work for our community to make a difference on youth tobacco prevention.

Actions and Approaches Identified by Our Partners 

These are actions and approaches that our partners think can make a difference on youth tobacco prevention.

• Education for students
• Education for parents/guardians
• Education for school faculty and staff
• Instead of punishment for those caught at school, implement education
• Media campaigns
• Peer support instead of youth hearing from adults

What is Currently Working in Our Community 

These are actions and approaches that are currently in place in our community to make a difference on youth tobacco prevention.

• Partnering with MountainWise and the Regional Tobacco Prevention Manager to offer educational sessions for parents/guardians and school faculty
• Tobacco free policies in public places
• Promoting a positive message about how many youth ARE NOT partaking vs how many are

Evidence-Based Strategies These are actions and approaches that have been shown to make a difference on youth tobacco prevention.

What Community Members Most Affected by Tobacco Use Say 

These are the actions and approaches recommended by members of our community who are most affected by tobacco use

• Offer peer support and education
• Offer education instead of punishment and lecturing

Process for Selecting Priority Strategies

During our group process, the following criteria were used to select priority health issues for our community to focus on in the next three years:

• Criteria 1 – How important or relevant is this issue?
  • Size & severity of the problem
  • Urgency to solve the problem
  • Focus on equity
  • Linked to other important issues 
• Criteria 2 – What will we get out of addressing this issue or how impactful is it?
  • Availability of solutions/proven strategies
  • Builds on or enhances current work
  • Significant consequences of not addressing issue now
• Criteria 3 – Can we adequately address this issue?
  • Availability of resources (staff, community partners, time, money, equipment) to address the issue o Political capacity/will
  • Community/social acceptability  
  • Appropriate socio-culturally
  • Ethical
  • Can identify short-term, easy wins

Participants used a modified Hanlon method to rate the priorities using the criteria listed above. Then dot-voting and techniques were used to narrow to the top 2 priority health issues.

In Spring 2020, the School Health Advisory Council (SHAC) was slated to survey Jackson County Public Schools again with the annual SHAC Survey.  The survey asks questions about active and perceived substance use of middle and high school students, and is anonymous.  One week before the students were to be surveyed, the county and school district shut down due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in our area.  The students were out of school for an extended period of time, and only returned to challenging, never-before-experienced, remote learning.  Administration, teachers and staff, and students had enough on their plates and we did not feel it would be appropriate to add an additional task for them.  This means that we do not have data for the 2020 marker for JCPS Students Reporting Electronic Cigarette Use.  The SHAC Survey is expected to be offered to students in Spring 2021 and will be updated at that time.