2020 Underage Vaping, Marijuana and THC Awareness Campaign

For the past three years the County of El Paso has seen a significance increase in the amount of youth Felony arrests related to vaping with the use of THC cartridges.  In 2017, there were 16 Felony arrests of youth under the age of 17, in 2018 the number increased to 38 and in 2019 the number of felony arrests reached an alarming total of 249.  Marijuana is a drug that also leads to senseless crimes and injuries with increasing numbers in use/abuse.

The West Texas HIDTA Prevention Initiative, consisting of partnerships with community agencies/organizations in the County of El Paso, conducted the First Annual Poster Contest for El Paso County high school students.

This important awareness campaign spreads an invaluable message that can disrupt the cycle of criminal activity and injury in the lives of youth.  Teens who unknowingly choose to experiment with vaping and using THC cartridges do not know the legal consequences they face until it is too late.

A media awareness campaign was developed to showcase the top winning posters along with prevention messages on digital and poster billboards across the County.

Other selected posters will be printed and distributed as part of a drug awareness campaign on the dangers of underage vaping, marijuana, and THC products.

Winning posters displayed on Billboards –

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Digital Prevention Messages –