Everett youth group creates podcast about the dangers of vape marketing

TEASA uses grant to spread awareness of tobacco advertising

Special to The Advocate

Teens in Everett Against Substance Abuse (TEASA) has developed a creative project after receiving a Creative Spark Grant from The 84 Organization, resulting in a podcast episode that analyzes vaping advertisements and discusses marketing strategies targeting young people. In connection, the group created a workshop titled “Behind the Advertisement,” which teaches participants how tobacco and nicotine companies use various marketing tactics to subtly target youngsters. Attendees analyze real advertisements and short podcast clips to break down how these ads are designed to appear harmless and appealing.

The 2025 Youth Risk Behavior Survey showed that one in five (18 percent) students from grades 6-12 surveyed have tried a vape in their lifetime and six percent in the past month. TEASA sought to highlight the importance of students being aware of the marketing tactics companies have used beyond flavoring.

TEASA youth leaders organized and hosted their first listening session and workshop on January 22, with more than 36 participants in attendance. TEASA youth leaders Anna Pereira and Hailey Castaneda, 11th grade students at Everett High School, presented and facilitated the workshop and kept the audience engaged. “I learned a lot about the way these companies target youth and also had fun which made me interested in joining this group,” said one participant. The workshop was well-received, and many attendees were able to understand the tactics and point to the ways youth are being targeted by companies.

The event was also a launch for their podcast series called TEASA Talks where many more episodes will be released. The most recent episode can be found at https://sites.google.com/challiance.org/teasatalks/home and on YouTube: https://youtu.be/b27qp3F0Gfs

Founded in 2005, TEASA is a program for teens who live and go to school in Everett, focusing on substance use prevention, mental health awareness, and leadership development. Its values are Youth, Community, Leadership and Advocacy. TEASA is supported and led by the Department of Community Health at Cambridge Health Alliance (CHA).

CHA is an academic community health system committed to providing high-quality care in Boston’s metro-north communities. It includes two acute care hospital campuses, an inpatient child and adolescent psychiatry specialty campus, a network of primary care and specialty practices, and robust community programs through its regional Department of Community Health and the Cambridge Public Health Department.