CATCH My Breath for Vaping Prevention
What You Need to Know Before You Apply
What is the purpose of this trial?
This trial aims to determine if a school-based program called CATCH My Breath can prevent high school students in Ontario from starting to vape. The program educates students about the health risks of vaping, social norms (such as the fact that most youth don't vape), and strategies to resist peer pressure. Schools not currently implementing this program will compare their students' vaping behaviors with those that do. Suitable candidates for the trial are students in grades 9 to 12, attending English-speaking public or private schools in a standard classroom setting. As an unphased trial, this study allows students to contribute to important research that could influence future school programs.
Do I have to stop taking my current medications for this trial?
The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications.
What prior data suggests that the CATCH My Breath curriculum is safe for students?
Research has shown that the CATCH My Breath (CMB) program is safe for high school students. This program is not a drug or medical treatment; it is a school curriculum designed to prevent vaping. Schools have implemented it widely without reports of harm or negative effects.
Studies have found that the CMB program significantly reduces the likelihood of students starting to vape. Specifically, CATCH My Breath effectively teaches students about the dangers of vaping and how to handle peer pressure. The program focuses on educating students about the health risks of vaping and helping them confidently say no.
As an educational program, CMB does not involve taking any medicine or undergoing medical procedures, making it much safer compared to other clinical trials. Evidence shows that it is well-received and safe for students to participate in.12345Why are researchers excited about this trial?
Researchers are excited about the CATCH My Breath (CMB) program because it targets vaping prevention in a way that current school curriculums often do not. Unlike standard health education, which may not specifically address vaping, CMB is a structured curriculum focusing on social competence and resistance skills. It draws on Social Cognitive Theory to boost self-efficacy and behavioral capacity, empowering students with the knowledge and skills to resist vaping. This program also uses engaging in-class activities to reinforce learning, making it a proactive and interactive approach to prevention.
What evidence suggests that the CATCH My Breath curriculum is effective for preventing vaping among high school students?
Studies have shown that the CATCH My Breath (CMB) program, tested in this trial, can significantly reduce vaping among students. Research conducted in 2024–2025 showed a 34% decrease in vaping among participants. The program also increased students' knowledge about vaping dangers, with test scores rising from 5.5 to 7.5. Additionally, it altered students' perceptions, making them less likely to view vaping positively. Overall, CMB has effectively prevented young people from starting to vape by enhancing their understanding and ability to resist peer pressure.13467
Who Is on the Research Team?
Adam Cole, PhD
Principal Investigator
Ontario Tech University
Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?
This trial is for students in grades 9-12 at English-speaking public or private schools in Ontario that use regular classrooms. Students must be enrolled in the class where the CATCH My Breath program is taught. Virtual schools and those already using this curriculum can't join.Inclusion Criteria
Exclusion Criteria
Timeline for a Trial Participant
Screening
Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial
Intervention
CATCH My Breath curriculum delivered through two 60-minute lessons by Public Health Unit staff
Follow-up
Participants complete online surveys to assess changes in vaping knowledge, attitudes, and behavior
What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?
Interventions
- CATCH My Breath
Trial Overview
The study tests if a school-based program called 'CATCH My Breath'—two lessons about vaping risks, social influences, and refusal skills—can prevent high school students from starting to vape compared to students who don't get the program.
How Is the Trial Designed?
2
Treatment groups
Experimental Treatment
Active Control
CATCH My Breath (CMB) is a school-based vaping prevention curriculum based on best practices from earlier prevention studies that works by fostering social competence and social influence resistance skills. The curriculum design and content targets two key constructs of Social Cognitive Theory: self-efficacy and behavioural capacity (i.e., knowledge and skills). The curriculum provides students with knowledge of why and how to resist vaping. It is delivered through two 60-minute lessons by a trained Public Health Unit presenter. The curriculum lessons provide information about: 1) the physical, mental, and addiction risks associated with vaping, 2) social norms of vaping (e.g., most youth don't vape), 3) media literacy (e.g., how to recognize and decipher marketing of vapes), 4) strategies to resist and avoid vaping, 5)school and provincial policies about vaping. To solidify the content, in-class activities allow students to discuss what they are learning and practice refusal skills.
In Ontario, the current Health and Physical Education curriculum does not include any vaping-specific information, leaving it up to the discretion of educators to decide what to teach and how. The study takes advantage of existing connections to the COMPASS study. The large sample of schools participating in the COMPASS study provides an ideal comparison group, eliminating the need to recruit schools for this condition and reducing costs. The COMPASS study collects information about changes to school programs, policies, and the built environment that may occur over time using the School Policies and Practices survey. This survey is completed annually by a school contact knowledgeable about the school's health-related programs and policies. School contacts are asked whether the school offers any programs that address vaping and tobacco use prevention/cessation. This information will be used to identify schools that have not implemented any vaping/tobacco use programs.
Find a Clinic Near You
Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?
University of Ontario Institute of Technology
Lead Sponsor
University of Waterloo
Collaborator
CATCH Global Foundation
Collaborator
The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston
Collaborator
Ontario Agency for Health Protection and Promotion
Collaborator
Citations
The impact of the 'CATCH My Breath' vaping prevention ... - PMC
This pilot study assessed short-term changes in knowledge, subjective norms, and intentions to vape among a sample of high school students in Ontario, Canada
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catch.org
catch.org/catch-my-breath-adds-three-peer-reviewed-publications-and-more-to-evidence-base/CATCH My Breath adds Three Peer-Reviewed Publications ...
Recent Studies Confirm CATCH My Breath's Effectiveness: Research in 2024–2025 shows significant impact, including a 34% drop in vaping among ...
The CATCH My Breath Vaping Prevention Curriculum - PMC
After peaking in 2019, usage rates have declined but remain high. In 2023, 10% of high school and 4.6% of middle school students reported ...
Vaping Prevention in a Middle School Population Using ...
CATCH My Breath is an effective school-based resource to educate middle school youth about the dangers of vaping. Additional research is needed to evaluate the ...
Does the 'CATCH My Breath' Vaping Prevention Program ...
Expected Outcomes: Evidence from this project will identify whether students exposed to CMB are less likely to start vaping, which will support school-based ...
Vaping Education in Schools - CATCH My Breath Program
CATCH My Breath is an evidence-based youth vaping prevention program for grades 5-12 that has been proven to substantially reduce students' likelihood of vaping ...
Catch My Breath Youth Vaping Prevention Program
CATCH My Breath is a peer-reviewed, evidence-based youth vaping prevention program developed by The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.
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