Dara Klatt, Discovery Education
240-662-3043, Dara_Klatt@discovery.com   

DISCOVERY EDUCATION AND THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION ANNOUNCE VIRTUAL FIELD TRIP ON RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH ELECTRONIC CIGARETTES

With Host, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy, Examine the Science and Impact of E-cigarettes on Young People’s Health and Well-being

Silver Spring, Md. (Apr. 19, 2017) – Electronic cigarettes, or e-cigarettes, are now the most commonly used tobacco product among U.S. youth. But do students know the risks associated with these products?  Today, Discovery Education and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced a special Virtual Field Trip for high school students to examine the science behind e-cigarettes and the impact they can have on teenagers’ health and well-being.  Hosted by U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy, this “Know the Risks” live event for classrooms nationwide takes place on April 25, 2017, at 1 pm ET / 10 am PT.

The 2016 U.S. Surgeon General’s Report on e-cigarette use among youth and young adults concludes that any nicotine exposure during adolescence can cause addiction and can harm the developing brain.  Now, high-school students can learn the facts about e-cigarettes with educator and family resources to begin important conversations at home and school.

The one-hour, no-cost virtual experience goes inside the laboratory where e-cigarettes are being studied at The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and includes a question and answer session with medical and scientific experts in the field, including: 

• Dr. Vivek Murthy, Surgeon General — will give an overview of e-cigarettes and the newest findings on risks.  
• Dr. Brian King, Office on Smoking and Health (OSH) at the CDC —  will discuss the dangers of e-cigarettes to brain development and nicotine addiction.
• Dr. Jennifer Pearson, Schroeder Institute for Tobacco Research and Policy Studies — will describe what e-cigarettes are and how they are used.
• Dr. Pamela Ling, University of California San Francisco — will detail the tobacco-cigarette industry’s marketing strategies targeting young adults.
• Dr. Flori Sassano, UNC School of Medicine —  will discuss e-cigarette research.?
• Tyra Nicolay (age 17), High School Student — will tell her personal story about e-cigarettes.  

To learn the facts about e-cigarettes and youth nicotine consumption, please visit https://e-cigarettes.surgeongeneral.gov.  Register for the “Know the Risks” virtual event here. For more information about other virtual field trips and initiatives from Discovery Education, visit www.discoveryeducation.com

About Discovery Education
Discovery Education is the global leader in standards-based digital content and professional development for K-12, transforming teaching and learning with award-winning digital textbooks, multimedia content that supports the implementation of Common Core, professional development, assessment tools, and the largest professional learning community of its kind. Serving 4.5 million educators and over 50 million students, Discovery Education’s services are in half of U.S. classrooms, 50 percent of all primary schools the UK, and more than 50 countries. Discovery Education partners with districts, states, and like-minded organizations to captivate students, empower teachers, and transform classrooms with customized solutions that increase academic achievement. Discovery Education is powered by Discovery Communications (NASDAQ: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK), the number one nonfiction media company in the world. Explore the future of education at www.discoveryeducation.com.