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Vaping is the inhalation of an aerosol mist produced by an electronic cigarette (e-cigarette). It is common practice amongst teens and school students.[1]

By understanding more about vaping you, as a parent, can speak to your children about vaping, explain the health risks associated with vaping, and get help for your child.

What health risks does vaping cause?

Vaping

There are many health risks linked to the use of e-cigarettes (vape pens) including:

  • addiction – e-cigarettes contain nicotine, a drug that’s in normal cigarettes and is a highly addictive substance. Even if your child doesn’t smoke every day, this can still result in an addiction and cravings for nicotine and nicotine products. [2]
  • depression and anxiety – the nicotine in e-cigarettes can affect your mental health and worsen any anxiety or depression your child may have. Especially in your child’s developing brain, vapes can also have an impact on concentration, memory, self-control and attention.
  • increased likelihood of becoming a smoker – a young person who vapes is more likely to start smoking normal tobacco cigarettes/tobacco products (traditional cigarettes) and is at increased risk of developing other addictions in the future.

Other risks may include exposure to cancer-causing chemicals (harmful chemicals), life-threatening lung damage, lung inflammation, chest pain, sexual dysfunction, sleep issues and chronic bronchitis. [3]

There may be many more unknown health risks and long-term effects of nicotine exposure and other vape liquids, but this is generally not known since vaping is relatively new.

How can I check if my child is vaping?

Try asking your child if they have vaped, in a non-confrontational way. The key is to encourage conversation around vaping, and not to be judgemental.

Even if there is a low or no chance that your child is vaping, you still want to encourage conversation so that you can explain the side effects of e-cigarette use.

Signs that your child may be vaping include:

  • new health problems such as coughing, wheezing, or worsening asthmatic symptoms
  • e-cigarette products such as cartridges or other suspicious-looking supplies that look like disposable vapes or e-cigarette devices [4]
  • new smells, including fruity or sweet scents that are used in vaping products, especially flavored e-cigarettes

What are the next steps if my child vapes?

Child struggling with vaping

Your child will need the help and support of you and other members of the family to quit vaping.

Help them find the will and motivation to stop vaping. This could include talking about:

  • wanting to be the healthiest version of themselves as a child
  • not wanting to become addicted
  • avoiding any health risks
  • not wanting to feel increasingly anxious or depressed
  • saving money to provide for more important things in their life

Some people are using e-cigarettes to reduce their appetite, but there’s no proof that vaping aids weight loss. If you think this could be why your child vapes, speak to them about other ways they can stay at a healthy weight or try to lose weight. [5]

How do I help my child to quit vaping?

Below are some tips to help your child to quit vaping:

  • Get your child to write down why they want to quit, so they can refer back to this if they get cravings to vape again.
  • Choose a day to stop vaping and stick to it.
  • Get some sugar-free gum or lollipops to distract them from craving vaping.
  • Remove all vaping supplies from the house.
  • Understand withdrawal and make sure your child knows what’s happening. Nicotine use results in a strong nicotine addiction which causes withdrawal symptoms, especially in the first few days after quitting. It can cause headaches, feeling tired and cranky, trouble concentrating, and restlessness. These problems do get better with time after days or weeks.

Sources

[1] https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/youth_data/tobacco_use/index.htm

[2] https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/basic_information/e-cigarettes/pdfs/ecigarette-or-vaping-products-visual-dictionary-508.pdf

[3] https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/basic_information/e-cigarettes/Quick-Facts-on-the-Risks-of-E-cigarettes-for-Kids-Teens-and-Young-Adults.html

[4] https://www.fda.gov/tobacco-products/ctp-newsroom/unauthorized-e-cigarettes-appeal-youth

[5] https://www.talktofrank.com/drug/vapes

boris

Boris is our editor-in-chief at Rehab 4 Addiction. Boris is an addiction expert with more than 20 years in the field.  His expertise covers a broad of topics relating to addiction, rehab and recovery. Boris is an addiction therapist and assists in the alcohol detox and rehab process. Boris has been featured on a variety of websites, including the BBC, Verywell Mind and Healthline. You can connect with Boris online at LinkedIn or X.com.

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Table of Contents
1. What health risks does vaping cause?
2. How can I check if my child is vaping?
3. What are the next steps if my child vapes?
4. How do I help my child to quit vaping?
5. Sources