Don't let nicotine
make the call.
Real information. No pressure. The choice is yours — and you deserve to make it with the full picture.
Most students aren't using.
The idea that "everyone is doing it" is one of the most persistent myths in teen health — and one of the most effective marketing tools tobacco companies have. The actual numbers tell a different story. Knowing that truth puts you in an informed position.
of high school students are not using tobacco or nicotine products
National Youth Tobacco Survey (NYTS), 2024; social norms anchor used in UP2U programming
Nicotine doesn't fix stress.
It causes it.
"That 'calm' feeling isn't relief — it's your body catching up to what the nicotine took away."
Industry tactics.
Designed for you.
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Flavors designed for new users
Fruity and sweet flavors are engineered to attract first-time users and lower the barrier to starting — long before the product becomes habit-forming.
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"Stress relief" messaging
Marketing frequently connects nicotine use to stress management. That claim reverses the actual cause and effect. Nicotine withdrawal creates the stress it appears to solve.
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Discreet product design
Pouches, disposables, and other low-visibility products are designed to be used anywhere — reducing the friction to start and making regular use easier to maintain quietly.
What nicotine can affect.
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Your brain
The developing brain is especially sensitive to nicotine. Regular use during high school can affect concentration, memory, and impulse control in ways that may persist.
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Your mouth
Tobacco stains penetrate enamel and don't just brush off. Gum damage, increased cavity risk, and oral health changes can begin early and build over time.
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Your stress response
Regular nicotine use rewires how your brain handles stress. Over time, it becomes harder to feel calm without it — which is how the stress cycle gets harder to break.
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Your control
Nicotine is highly addictive. Many people who start in high school report finding it difficult to stop within the first few months, even when they intend to.
Get support your way.
Whether you're curious, reconsidering, or ready to quit, there are free and confidential resources available to you right now.
- Smokefree Teen (teen.smokefree.gov) — Free quit support and tools designed specifically for teens, from the National Cancer Institute.
- This Is Quitting (truthinitiative.org/thisisquitting) — Free text-based quit program for teens and young adults from Truth Initiative.
- 1-800-QUIT-NOW — Free, confidential quit coaching by phone, available in every state.
These are suggested resources. UP2U does not endorse any specific cessation product or service. Contact the UP2U team with questions about the program at UP2U@virginia.edu.