Tobacco Free Ravalli is a community education program aimed at ending tobacco addiction and industry manipulation of youth.

Corvallis Middle School is the pilot location for a youth peer-to-peer anti-vape education program called ReACT.

Jenna Pateman, Ravalli County's Tobacco Prevention Specialist, based out of the Public Health Office in Hamilton, said vaping is a huge problem for middle school age youth.

"It is huge in high school but it is becoming even more of an epidemic for middle schoolers," Pateman said. "We are hoping that by targeting students in seventh and eighth grade we can stop them before they start, or get them the education before they are addicted. In Montana, one in three teens are addicted to nicotine."

Seventh-grade students in the CMS ReACT group said they joined ReACT with the hope of making a difference.

"I don't think people should vape," Risa Zeiler said. "It can destroy your life and it leads to a bunch of illnesses and mental health issues. That isn't something anyone should have to live with. It may be cool at the moment but when you have to live with these issues, you'll seriously regret it." ......