Commercial Tobacco Use
Youth Counter-Marketing Campaigns

Minnesota has multiple counter-marketing campaigns to raise awareness of the dangers of vaping, foster peer-to-peer engagement, and encourage young people to quit. These campaigns work to change social norms around vaping and the use of other commercial tobacco products, as well as promote resources on wellbeing.

On this page:
Room to Breathe
Hey Norm
Escape the Vape Video Challenge
My Life, My Quit™

Room to Breathe

Room to Breathe is a digital campaign with short, animated videos that run on social media platforms like Instagram, YouTube, and Snapchat. This campaign creates safe and ownable space for youth to learn about the dangers of vaping, how the industry targets communities with its products, tools for quitting, and ways to get involved in the community.

Learn more: aroomtobreathe.org

Campaign materials

Local public health agencies, schools, and other youth-serving community organizations are encouraged to share the Room to Breathe campaign with young people in their communities. Use the free tools below to promote the campaign.

Guide to Wellness Reflection Journal

The Guide to Wellness Reflection Journal (PDF) is designed to help young people reflect, plan, and breathe, especially when life feels overwhelming. The journal is divided into five chapters on reflection, growth, exploration, creativity, and rest – each focusing on different aspects of personal wellbeing and self-discovery.

Partners, schools, and community organizations are encouraged to print their own supply of journals to distribute to youth in their community. Upon request, the back cover of the journal may be customized with partner or sponsor logos.

Learn more: Print Your Own Supply – Guide to Wellness Reflection Journal (PDF)

Download and share

Download and professionally print

Print your own supply of Room to Breathe materials. Use these files when working with your local professional printer – just have them trim to the crop lines.

Flyer – Room to Breathe (PDF) Size: 8.5” x 11”
Poster – Support to Quit Vaping (PDF) Size: 11” x 17”
Poster – Vibes vs. Vape (PDF) Size: 11” x 17”
Rack card – Room to Breathe (PDF)

Request pre-printed materials

A limited supply of pre-printed materials is available to distribute in your community. Materials are available while supplies last.

Awards

Bronze Award – Video by Professional Vendor (PDF)
Northern Lights Awards 2025, Minnesota Association of Government Communicators
Gold ADDY – Integrated Media Public Service Campaign
2025 American Advertising Awards, American Advertising Federation
Gold ADDY – Integrated Media Public Service Campaign (PDF)
2025 American Advertising Awards, American Advertising Federation District 8
Gold – Integrated Media Public Services Campaign
The Show 2025, Advertising Federation of Minnesota (AdFed)
Northern Lights Award – Website Design or Redesign (Large Entity) (PDF)
Northern Lights Awards 2024, Minnesota Association of Government Communicators

Hey Norm

Many young people are already aware of the dangers of vaping. They know it’s bad for their health, and they’re also concerned about friends who vape. But they also don’t feel like it’s their place to intervene. Enter Norm Davidson, Founder and CEO of 1-833-HEY-NORM. “Who’s Norm,” you ask? He's a quirky and dorky, dad-like figure who’s willing to have the vape talk for you!

Norm, who some describe as half Bill Nye and half Saul Goodman, offers to have the “vape talk” for youth and their friends. His hotline offers vape facts, “vape talk” conversation starters, tools for quitting, and more.

Learn more: heynorm.org

Campaign materials

Local public health agencies, schools, and other youth-serving community organizations are encouraged to share the Hey Norm campaign with young people in their communities. Download and share the free tools below to promote the campaign.

Flyer – Ready to have the vape talk with your friend? (PDF)
Infographic – Vape Facts! (PDF)
Poster – Vape Talk (PDF)
Poster – Too MN nice to confront your friend about vaping? (PDF)
Poster – Too MN nice to confront your friend about vaping? (PDF) (with tear-away hotline number)
Hey Norm Social Guide (PDF)
A guide for youth groups and health advocates on how to share the Hey Norm campaign with their peers and in their communities.

Awards

Northern Lights Award – Video by Professional Vendors (PDF)
Northern Lights Awards 2024, Minnesota Association of Government Communicators
Bronze – Integrated Media Public Services Campaign
The Show 2023, Advertising Federation of Minnesota (AdFed)
Bronze - Public Service Online/Interactive
The Show 2023, Advertising Federation of Minnesota (AdFed)

Escape the Vape Video Challenge

The Escape the Vape Video Challenge is an annual contest for Minnesota’s middle and high school students. Students are encouraged to create and submit 30-second PSAs on the dangers of vaping for a chance to win cash prizes for themselves and their school. Submissions are typically accepted in the winter, with public voting and winners announced in the spring.

Learn more: Escape the Vape Video Challenge

Upcoming contest dates

December 1, 2025	Contest opens
January 31, 2026	Submissions due
March 2026	Finalists announced
April 2026	Public voting and winners announced

Promotional materials

School administrators, principals, teachers, as well as community leaders and parents can all help to spread the word about this contest to students and encourage their participation. Include information about the Escape the Vape Video Challenge in your communications to students and parents, such as:

Daily announcements
Newsletters and emails to parents, students and teachers
Bulletin boards
Social media channels
School or organization websites

Download and share

In the classroom

The Escape the Vape Video Challenge provides students an opportunity to learn about the dangers of vaping as well as hone their video and media production skills. Schools are encouraged to include this project in their curriculum and to provide students with resources to complete their videos, such as props, space to plan and film, and access to their theater teacher or advisor.

Have you used the Escape the Vape Video Challenge in your classroom?

Tell us how it went! We’d love to know about your experience and how we can improve the contest as a classroom activity.

Contest sponsorship

The Escape the Vape Video Challenge would not be possible without the partnership and generosity of its Sponsors. Sponsorships provide valuable resources for the contest, including the ability to offer motivating prizes and swag to participants. Most importantly, these contributions help support the crucial work of educating students on the dangers of vaping.

To become a sponsor, email mnescapethevape@gmail.com.

Awards

Northern Lights Awards – Video Short/Social Media Campaign (PDF)
Northern Lights Awards 2025, Minnesota Association of Government Communicators

My Life, My Quit^TM

My Life, My Quit is a program to help Minnesota teens ages 13-17 quit vaping, smoking, or using other commercial tobacco and nicotine products. My Life, My Quit is free and confidential, and teens can text, call, or chat with quit coaches online. Tips and tools are also available online.

Teens can text “Start My Quit” to 36072 or visit mylifemyquit.com.

My Life, My Quit^TM as an alternative to suspension

My Life, My Quit is also a productive alternative to in-school or out-of-school school suspensions. My Life, My Quit coaches are specially trained to engage teens who have been referred for help by parents, educators, and the justice system and are required to complete a commercial tobacco treatment program as an alternative to punishment.

Learn more

Campaigns and commercial tobacco prevention and control

Mass-reach health communications campaigns are a critical part of comprehensive commercial tobacco control programs. They raise awareness about the dangers of commercial tobacco use and increase community support for effective prevention and treatment efforts. They're also important to counter tobacco industry advertising, especially to protect young people, as the industry increasingly uses new advertising tactics to market their products.

Learn more: Best Practices for Comprehensive Tobacco Control Programs – Mass-Reach Health Communication Interventions