More Than a Disciplinary Issue: Citrus County Take a Collaborative Approach to Youth Vaping

When a student is caught vaping at school, the immediate question is often, “What happens next?” But in Citrus County, a group of community partners is asking a bigger question: “How do we prevent it from happening in the first place?”

That question is helping drive the work of the Citrus County K–12 Vaping Task Force.

The task force brings together people who see the issue of youth vaping from different perspectives, including school district staff, prevention professionals, law enforcement, and community partners. Each brings a different piece of the puzzle—and getting those perspectives around the same table has opened the door to conversations that go beyond discipline.

Recent meetings have explored what happens when students are caught with vaping products, how schools can connect consequences with meaningful education and intervention, and what resources may help students better understand the risks associated with nicotine and tobacco use. Partners have discussed after-school intervention opportunities, educational programs such as Smokescreen and Refresh and Remind, current school disciplinary practices, and the different ways vaping is being detected on campuses.

But perhaps the most important part of the work is what happens during those conversations.

Partners are sharing what they are seeing firsthand, identifying gaps, asking questions, and looking for ways to better connect prevention, intervention, enforcement, and policy. Instead of addressing youth vaping from separate corners of the community, the task force is creating an opportunity to tackle it together.

There has not been one single moment that defines the success of this effort and that is exactly why this story matters.

Community change rarely happens overnight. Before a new policy is adopted or a long-term outcome can be measured, someone has to bring people together. Relationships have to be built. Difficult questions have to be asked. And partners have to agree that the status quo can be improved.

That is what is happening in Citrus County.

The K–12 Vaping Task Force is building a stronger foundation for how our community responds to youth vaping, with the ultimate goal of creating healthier, tobacco-free school environments and giving students the education and support they need to make healthier choices.