Utilization of Tompkins County JUUL Settlement Funds for Youth Vaping Prevention, Cessation and Treatment Initiatives

PurposeTompkins County Whole Health and Tompkins County Legislature are seeking proposals from a broad range of entities - including, but not limited to, non-profits, for-profits, academic and healthcare institutions, and community-based organizations, for the purpose of utilization of the JUUL Settlement Funding provided to and solely serving Tompkins County. Tompkins County was awarded a total of Four-Hundred Seventy-Three Thousand Nine-Hundred Thirty-Two Dollars ($473,932) through 2030, with the possibility of extending the contract. The total amount of funding for this request for proposals is Seventy-Five Thousand Dollars ($75,000).In 2023, New York State received $112.7 million from a multi-state settlement with JUUL Labs, Inc. to combat the youth vaping epidemic. Funds are being distributed to New York State counties, school districts, and BOCES for anti-vaping education, cessation services, enforcement of e-cigarette regulations, and research in a series of annual increments. The funds are specifically intended to help curb the rise of vaping-related illnesses and addiction among youth and young adults.The Office of the New York State Attorney General (OAG) has defined the following categories of activities that may qualify: Preventing youth and young adults from starting to vape; Supporting community-, school-, college-, and university-based anti-vaping programs; Helping users quit vaping; Enforcing vaping laws and regulations; and Conducting research and surveillance. To identify how to best utilize Tompkins County's JUUL Settlement Funds, a small committee has been charged with reviewing and selecting the proposals for funding. This committee includes representatives from Tompkins County Whole Health, County Administration, and Legislature. BackgroundTompkins County is in the Southern Tier region of New York at the southern end of Cayuga Lake. The County is approximately 475 square miles and home to over 105,000 people. Tompkins County is home to Cornell University, Ithaca College, and Tompkins Cortland Community College.In Tompkins County, in 2023, 2% of students in grades 7-8 and 9% of students in grades 9-12 reported using nicotine vapes in the past 30 days, compared with 13.2% of students statewide, where use peaked among 12th graders (22.1%) (CLYDE Youth Survey, 2023; NYS Youth Tobacco Survey, 2022). Lifetime nicotine vape use in Tompkins County increased by grade, from 3% in grade 7 to 22% in grade 12, while lifetime marijuana vape use rose from 1% to 25% (CLYDE Youth Survey, 2023).Youth perception of risk also influences behavior. In 2023, 25.6% of students in grades 7-12 reported perceiving "no risk" or "slight risk" from nicotine vaping, compared with 18.8% for cigarettes (CLYDE Youth Survey, 2023). This pattern suggests that e-cigarettes are often viewed as safer alternatives, even as nicotine exposure remains a concern for adolescent brain development and addiction risk. Business enterprises awarded an identical or substantially similar procurement contract within the past five years: None Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Business (SDVOB) SDVOB Goal: 0.00% Minority / Women Business Enterprise contracting goals (MWBE) MBE Goal: 0.00% WBE Goal: 0.00% Disadvantaged Business Enterprise contracting goals (DBE) DBE Goal: 0.00%