Springfield health leaders encouraged by FDA’s decision to remove JUULs from shelves

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KY3) - The Federal Drug Administration ordered all JUULs to be taken off shelves in the latest attempt to combat the national surge in youth vaping.

”Here at the health department, we’ve been focusing on education and awareness around youth vape use. So it’s just encouraging,” said Julie Viele, a Public Health Program Representative for the Springfield Greene County Health Department.

The Springfield-Greene County Health Department partnered with Springfield Public Schools to combat youth vaping.

”We have created a website about a year or so ago, encouraging other schools or other organizations that would like information on education awareness, materials, and cessation resources to visit our website and to reach out to us,” said Viele.

Springfield Public Schools has also cracked down on youth vaping.

”They have educational opportunities that they can use, instead of just ISS or OSS, and also able to offer cessation resources,” said Brad Brummel, the Physicals Education and Health Coordinator for Springfield Public Schools.

Officials stress the impacts vaping can have on kids can be detrimental.

“That can cause a long-term effect on their brains. It can cause nicotine addiction. It can affect the impact of their learning. It can cause memory issues, attention issues, those types of things,” said Viele.

The school district is working to help students put the vape down.

”We’ve implemented vape, safe drop boxes at each of the secondary sites, and that allows students to quit and dispose of those devices at school, get rid of them,” said Brummel.