Talking to Your Teen Who Vapes
The use of electronic nicotine products among adolescents has become a major concern. More than 2.1 million youth currently use e-cigarettes. Results from also show that of youth who vape, 9 out of 10 are using flavored e-cigarettes and over 25% are using them every day.
E-cigarettes, or vapes, are full of nicotine and pose serious health risks to children, teens, and adults. Vape pens are highly addictive and can be scentless, and they often contain more nicotine in one device than an entire pack of cigarettes. Combined with their ease of access, these factors add to their popularity.
As many parents know, teens often don鈥檛 want to listen or talk about tough topics like vaping. But having these conversations is crucial to your child鈥檚 health and well-being.
While it may seem like they鈥檙e not listening, they hear you, says Dr. Susan Gasparino, a pediatrician and the director of Child and Adolescent Programming at the Center for Community Health & Prevention (CCHP). Dr. Gasparino shares tips to help parents have this鈥痶ough, but necessary, conversation with their kids.
Why do teens vape?
Knowing the dangers,鈥痺hy do so many teenagers vape? It comes down to:
- 惭颈蝉颈苍蹿辞谤尘补迟颈辞苍.鈥�Most teens don鈥檛 think there are health risks to vaping.
- Peer pressure.鈥�淎ll of my friends do it!鈥�
- Flavoring.鈥疺apes and e-cigarettes鈥痑re often created鈥痶o taste like fruit, candy, and other flavors that young people enjoy.
When talking to your child or teen about vaping, it鈥檚 important to remember the reasons why they might be doing it. If your child defends their habit, try keeping an open dialogue and avoid scolding.鈥�
Talking to your vaping teen
Here are a few responses you can try out if your kid defends or justifies their vaping habit.
Defense: "Vaping is safer than smoking cigarettes."
Response: Safer does not mean鈥�safe.鈥�
While vaping may seem like a safer alternative to smoking, it still exposes users to harmful chemicals and nicotine, posing risks to adolescent health.
E-cigarettes鈥痺ere first designed鈥痶o help long-term adult smokers cut back on harmful burning tobacco. Although vapes have no combustion, inhaling vape liquid, aerosol particles, heavy metals, and nicotine is still not safe.
Defense: "There's no real proof vaping is bad for you in the long term."
鈥疪别蝉辫辞苍蝉别: Contrary to popular belief, vaping is not without its dangers. There have been cases of lung injuries and conditions because of vape use. Long-term studies are still underway, but the existing evidence shows real risks.- EVALI is a鈥痵erious鈥痬edical condition where a person鈥檚 lungs become damaged from substances within vaping products. Symptoms include shortness of breath, fever, chills, cough, vomiting, dizziness, rapid heart rate, and chest pain.
- Popcorn lung, or bronchiolitis obliterans, is a condition that damages the lungs鈥� smallest airways. Original cases of popcorn lung resulted from factory workers breathing in chemicals used to flavor microwave popcorn. Those same chemicals have been found in vaping products,鈥痑nd鈥痗ases of popcorn lung have鈥痓een documented鈥痑mong vape users.
Recent research shows that people who use fruity-flavored e-cigarettes have a higher risk of developing nighttime dry cough, an early indicator of lung disease.
"We are studying an early marker of disease, so we don't have to wait years to study the effects of these electronic cigarette flavors," said Qui帽ones.
Defense: "I'm not addicted to vaping; I could stop anytime."
Response: The addictive nature of nicotine, present in high concentrations in vaping products, often leads to dependency. Many teenagers find themselves unable to go long without vaping.
鈥淢ost patients鈥�疘 work with cannot go longer than an hour or two without hitting their vape,鈥� said Dr. Gasparino. 鈥淲hen you inhale nicotine, there is a receptor in your brain that it travels to and creates that initial sense of calm. The more you vape, the more these receptors duplicate themselves, causing the need for more and more nicotine to recreate that feeling.鈥�
Defense: "All my friends vape; it's no big deal."
Response: Peer pressure plays a significant role in teenage vaping.鈥疨arents should emphasize the importance of independent decision-making and responsible choices.鈥�
Quitting a habit that exists within a friend group can have psychosocial effects. That鈥檚 why it鈥檚 so important to have a plan that involves emotional support and coping skills. If the social aspect of breaking this habit鈥痠s ignored, the plan to quit might not succeed.
How to quit vaping鈥�
So, you鈥檝e discussed it with your teen or child. Now, how can you help your kid quit? There are plenty of resources to help.
Local resources:鈥�
- The Center for Community Health & Prevention (CCHP) offers one-on-one counseling and group programs for teens looking to quit vaping.
- The Center also offers a free online Commit to Quit program for adults interested in cutting back or quitting vaping or cigarettes. The Center uses tools like Self-Determination Theory鈥攁 motivation technique that emphasizes autonomy, competence, and relatedness鈥攁nd also offers鈥痭icotine replacement therapy, a great way to help fight the addictive nature of nicotine products.
- Wilmot Cancer Institute鈥檚 tobacco cessation program鈥痯rovides free nicotine replacement therapy, text messaging support, consultation, and a personalized treatment plan.鈥疌all 585-506-9561 or text WILMOT to 63141.
Additional resources:鈥�
- New York State has a鈥�. Call 1-866-687-8487 or text 鈥淨UITNOW鈥� to 333888 for free, confidential help to quit smoking, vaping, or other tobacco products.
- 罢丑别鈥�痠s a nonprofit public health organization committed to reducing tobacco and nicotine use. They offer a variety of resources on their website to help quit nicotine.鈥�
麻豆视频Research on Vaping
Irfan Rahman, PhD, principal investigator at URMC鈥檚 Rahman Lab, studies the impact on human health of toxicants like tobacco smoke and e-cigarettes.鈥�
Find out what the team is working on.