For Future Lungs NY is a student-founded public health advocacy organization dedicated to addressing the growing nicotine and tobacco crisis among adolescents across New York City. We focus on the intersection of health education, community engagement, and evidence-based prevention to confront a reality that has become increasingly normalized within schools and youth spaces. 
 

Across New York, middle schools and high schools are facing an unprecedented surge in nicotine exposure. Classrooms, hallways, and bathrooms are frequently saturated with aerosolized vape emissions, creating environments where nicotine use is not only accessible, but routine. E-cigarettes and disposable vapes, often marketed with appealing flavors and discreet designs, have reshaped adolescent behavior, fostering dependency at earlier ages and blurring the line between experimentation and addiction. For many students, nicotine exposure is no longer a fringe issue; it is a daily presence embedded in the school experience.

The consequences extend far beyond individual use. Adolescents today are navigating heightened academic pressures, social stressors, mental health challenges, and systemic inequities, all while being targeted by industries that profit from addiction. Nicotine use during adolescence is associated with impaired lung development, altered neurocognitive function, increased anxiety and depressive symptoms, and a greater likelihood of long-term substance dependence. These harms disproportionately affect students in under-resourced communities, where access to prevention programs and healthcare support is often limited.

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