Washington releases app to combat teen vaping



SEATTLE (AP) — A state agency has created an app to help teenagers and young adults quit vaping as cases of a lung illness possibly connected to vaping continue to emerge.

The Seattle Times reports that the free app , which was released Monday by the state Department of Health, is targeted toward people wanting to quit vaping and is set up to teach users how to deal with cravings and achieve goals on the path to quitting. App users go through 10 lessons that provide tips to teach them how to deal with their cravings.

Dr. Kathy Lofy, the state's health officer, said targeting teens and young people with another channel to quit vaping is an important step toward keeping them healthy.

The app was released just days after Gov. Jay Inslee directed the state Board of Health to exercise its emergency authority to ban all flavored vaping products, including those with THC.