Winners announced April 22nd, 2024 at 3pm
JOIN THE ESCAPE
Escape the Vape is a PSA video challenge where Minnesota 6th-12th graders can use their voice to raise awareness about the dangers of vaping and expose the shadowy commercial tobacco marketing tactics behind it. Just create and upload your 30-second, vape-bashing masterpiece, and you could win $500 for you and $500 for your school or organization, along with other great prizes. #MNJoinTheEscape
NEED SOME INSPIRATION?
Take a look at the 2023 winners’ videos.
AN ENEMY TO YOUR MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH
Vaping can increase anxiety and stress, make depression symptoms worse, as well as send toxic chemicals through your lungs. Despite that, about 1 in 4 U.S. teens vape daily. And believe it or not, just one disposable vape can contain as much addictive nicotine as 35 packs of cigarettes! Yuck! That’s 700 total cigarettes!
Although vaping may cause serious harm to both your mind and body, the commercial tobacco industry* still targets teens like you with fruity, candy flavors, and colorful packaging. They’ve been marketing their deadly and addictive products to kids for years. Enter Escape the Vape, expose the harms of vaping, and stand up to the commercial tobacco industry.
*The term “commercial tobacco” refers to products manufactured by companies for recreational and habitual use in cigarettes, e-cigarettes/vapes, smokeless tobacco, pipe tobacco, cigars, hookahs, and other products. Commercial tobacco is mass-produced and sold for profit. Commercial tobacco does not include or refer to sacred tobacco that are used by many Native American tribes in spiritual and cultural ceremony and prayer.
Looking to help yourself or a loved one who is struggling with vaping? Free resources are available.
IMPORTANT SAFETY NOTICE
BE SMART! SAFETY SHOULD BE THE HIGHEST PRIORITY.
Do not put yourself or anyone else at risk of harm while making your video. Do not show or use vaping devices, accessories, or products, or any commercial tobacco products in your video. Videos that contain an actual device, or simulate vaping with an actual device may be disqualified, as will videos that depict smoking, chewing, or otherwise using commercial tobacco.
OUR SPONSORS
Escape the Vape is a collaboration between the Minnesota Department of Health, Masonic Cancer Center at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities Orthopedics, and Oxboro Family Chiropractic. These organizations are united to help undo the damage vaping has done to teen health.
The Minnesota Department of Health exists to protect, maintain and improve the health of all Minnesotans. Visit health.state.mn.us.
The Masonic Cancer Center is Minnesota's Cancer Center and the only NCI-Designated Comprehensive Cancer Center in the Twin Cities. We create a collaborative research environment focused on the causes, prevention, detection, and treatment of cancer; applying that knowledge to improve quality of life for patients and survivors; and sharing its discoveries with other scientists, students, professionals, and the community. Visit cancer.umn.edu.
Twin Cities Orthopedics provides comprehensive orthopedic specialty care at over 30 convenient clinics in the Twin Cities and Western Wisconsin. Visit tcomn.com.
Oxboro Family Chiropractic has served the Bloomington and surrounding communities in wellness chiropractic care since 2000. Our clinic invests in Minnesota initiatives aimed to promote overall health and improved quality of life. Visit oxborochiro.com.
For more information about becoming an Escape the Vape sponsor, contact mnescapethevape@gmail.com.