Dangers of vaping to be discussed

Monte Stiles and Ray Lozano, two leading experts in drug education and prevention, will pay a visit to Coeur d’Alene in January to discuss the dangers of e-cigs and vaping.

Stiles and Lozano are coming to Coeur d’Alene as part of the Millennium Project, an effort supported by the Idaho Legislature through the University of Idaho to help increase community knowledge of the risks associated with the use and abuse of substances ranging from tobacco to methamphetamines.

“A lot of young people — and even their parents — are under the mistaken impression that e-cigs are a harmless alternative to cigarettes,” said Steven Meier, director of the University of Idaho’s Addictions Training Program. “These dynamite speakers help reinforce the notion that vaping is far from harmless, and may in fact introduce a whole host of new health hazards that are especially dangerous for young people.”

A state and federal drug prosecutor for 29 years, Monte Stiles supervised the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force, a group of agents and prosecutors investigating high-level drug trafficking activities across the United States. He left government service in April 2011 to devote his time to drug education. His presentation is 6:30-7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 11, in the Community Room at the Coeur d’Alene Public Library, 702 E. Front Ave.

Ray Lozano has educated and entertained thousands of students in hundreds of middle schools and high schools from Alaska to Florida since 1986. Thanks to his background in stand-up comedy, Lozano is able to take potentially dry information and transform it into fresh, relevant material that students can relate to and remember. He will give a presentation from 6-7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 17, in the Coeur d’Alene High School auditorium, 5530 N. Fourth St.

Both events are free and open to the public. To learn more, please visit www.facebook.com/vapebreakidaho.