We also need strategies that recognize childhood trauma as a risk factor for vaping, and focus on harm reduction. We need to do more to reduce rates of childhood trauma too, using evidence-based methods to disrupt cycles of abuse. We know family and social support are strong protective factors for young people—for example in seeking help to quit smoking. We found those who’ve had a traumatic experience by age 12 are more likely, at age 15, to say they’ve tried vaping (64%), vape regularly (63%) or intend to vape in the future (44%). For people who experience trauma in early life, the consequences can extend far beyond the event itself. Trauma is a form of psychological harm caused by experiences that pose a significant threat to your life or to others’ lives.
Teens and Vaping—How to Respond, Talk Through It, and Get Them to Stop
Many kids and teens look at vaping and see a harmless activity. You might think that it’s essentially just flavored steam that helps you relax. Or you might believe that vaping is so common among people your own age that the dangers must be overblown.
Binge Drinking
From babies to teens, pediatricians from CHOC’s Primary Care Network partner with parents to offer immunizations, sick visits, sports physicals and more. Encourage your child to embrace hobbies and social activities. Suggest that they try out team sports, learn an instrument, or join a local club that matches their interests. If they have existing hobbies, do what you can to support them. As your child focuses more on their hobbies and interests, they may feel less tempted to use vaping to manage negative emotions.
Help your teen find positive peer groups
Although many people initially use nicotine to find relief from anxiety or depression, they quickly discover that addiction can develop. And that addiction can take a damaging toll on your mood and health. Vaping has led to a dramatic rise in nicotine and marijuana use among young people in recent years. Of the 5,082 respondents, data showed relaxation was the most common reason cited, no matter the grade or frequency of vaping. Boredom landed in the top three reasons across frequency groups as well.
- Maintain an open line of communication with your kid, and use the tips and suggestions below as a framework for having a productive conversation.
- Lena Van Der List, a pediatrician at UC Davis Medical Center, reinforced the teens’ views by advocating for an empathetic, education-based approach.
- However, a thoughtful and strategic approach to tackling the addiction and related habits can make all the difference.
- You may be confident in the person that you are and unafraid of having a different opinion to your peers.
- All this being said, it is worth mentioning that despite your best efforts, your teen may have a very difficult time quitting vaping because nicotine is actually incredibly challenging to quit.
Available evidence is based on research with adults or is focused on tobacco smoking. But we know young people in Australia are being exposed to vapes early – and that the number of teens who vape is rising. While quitting nicotine is challenging for most people, our research suggests young people with histories of trauma may face extra challenges – and require tailored support.
What young people need
More than 60% of teens say they vape to experiment and see what it’s like. We need a mix of universal and targeted prevention strategies. To start a conversation, please log into your AZoProfile account first, or create a new account.
But trauma also affects the brain’s development and this may influence whether we are more likely to use substances. Not all young people who are exposed to trauma will experience negative outcomes, but many will – and Australia needs to be better equipped to respond. Childhood trauma can also lead to distrust of health-care professionals.
Recognising the Risks
In her presentations, Dahl encourages kids to have a plan ready for how they will react when they are pressured to vape. Teens can try out different responses, perhaps saying they tried it before and didn’t like it. Or they can blame a parent for being overly strict about vaping. Lebowitz suggests waiting to have a conversation for a time when both parties are calm and relaxed. That way, the parent can also be more aware of basic but helpful aspects of communication, such as ensuring that they are using a calm tone of voice and body language.
News
Its appeal often lies in the perception of it being a trendy and ‘cool’ activity, fuelled by enticing flavours and peer acceptance. Additionally, the misconception that vaping is harmless contributes to its allure, making it seem like a harmless pastime rather than a potentially harmful habit. Parenting teens and tweens is hard, but you don’t have to do it alone. Here are some other articles our readers have found helpful. In every case, figuring out the underlying issue that is which of the following is a type of indirect peer pressure? leading to the behavior is FAR more important than the behavior itself.