September 18, 2019

A Community Panel on Youth Vaping was held at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, September 19th in the Arrowhead Center for the Arts.   This event was sponsored by Cook County Schools, Cook County, Sawtooth Mountain Clinic, and the Statewide Health Improvement Partnership (SHIP) program.

A video recording of the program can be viewed within this article, as well as the PowerPoint presentation from Amanda Casady from the American Lung Association.

After speakers Grace Grinager, Cook County Public Health Coordinator, and Amanda Casady from the American Lung Association presented their alarming statistics of the dangers and increasing usage of vaping, a panel of community members sat down for a question and answer session.  Panel members included:

• Ben Hallberg, Jail Administrator from the Cook County Sheriff's Office and DARE instructor
• James Zimmer, Licensed Social Worker, Mental Health Crisis Responder and Case Manager
• Amanda Casady, Health Promotions Manager for the American Lung Association
• Mitch Dorr, Assistant Principal and Activities Director for Cook County Schools
• Jim Boyd, Executive Director of Cook County Chamber of Commerce, Retired Star Tribune Journalist

 A display from Cook County students Andrew Hallberg and his sister, Ella.