OurFutures: Vaping Module

OurFutures was developed by researchers currently based at the Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use at the University of Sydney, Australia, formerly based at the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (NDARC), School of Psychiatry, and the NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence in Mental Health and Substance Use at UNSW Sydney.

This curriculum-aligned online program is designed to be administered by teachers within classrooms. The program involves 4 × 40-minute lessons, each containing:

• A 20-minute computer-based cartoon story
• Student summary sheets
• Optional class activities
• Suggested homework activities.

The OurFutures: Vaping Module was developed for 12–14-year-olds and aims to prevent and reduce e-cigarette use/vaping among young people. Designed to be implemented within the school health curriculum, OurFutures is based on a social influence approach to prevention and uses cartoon storylines to engage and maintain student interest and involvement.

Students follow four episodes of an online cartoon-based story about teenagers and their experiences. Through the storyline, the program provides:

• Evidence-based information about e-cigarettes and tobacco smoking and the harms involved
• Normative education to correct misconceptions on use
• Resistance skills training
• Strategies for nicotine dependence.

Interactive quizzes are embedded into the program to help reinforce learning. The class and homework activities are designed to further reinforce the material taught in the cartoon and encourage students to apply the practical skills. The OurFutures: Vaping Module has received positive feedback from students and teachers, and implementation within the classroom is highly feasible.

The OurFutures: Vaping Module is currently free for all year 7-8 students in Australia, under a national roll-out funded by the Australian Government. More information and registration are available here.

No specialist teacher training is required.

A study that tested this resource (see sources below) found evidence for the following benefits:

• Reduced past 12-month e-cigarette use (at 12 months follow up)
• Increased knowledge about e-cigarettes and tobacco (at 6 and 12 months follow up)

Benefits of the OurFutures: Vaping Module have been demonstrated in Australia in one research study listed below. The OurFutures programs were evaluated, and the evidence was published, using the name Climate Schools. The broader suite of OurFutures programs have been evaluated in 8 large randomised controlled trials supporting benefits for reducing alcohol, cannabis and other drug use (See the Alcohol & Cannabis Module, Alcohol Module, MDMA & Emerging Drugs Module, and Cannabis & Psychostimulant Module). The OurFutures programs have also been endorsed by a number of organisations as listed below.