[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2019\/05\/talk-to-kids-about-vaping\/#Article","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2019\/05\/talk-to-kids-about-vaping\/","headline":"How to Talk to Your Kids About Vaping","name":"How to Talk to Your Kids About Vaping","description":"Whether you've found a vaping device, smelled new scents, or heard your child using new words, it's time to talk to your kids about vaping. Here's how.","datePublished":"2019-05-24","dateModified":"2025-05-09","author":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.upmc.com\/services\/pediatrics","name":"Pediatrics","url":"https:\/\/www.upmc.com\/services\/pediatrics","sameAs":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/pediatrics\/","parentOrganization":"UPMC"},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"UPMC HealthBeat","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/UPMC-HealthBeat-Logo.png","url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/UPMC-HealthBeat-Logo.png","width":600,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/vaping.jpg","url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/vaping.jpg","height":327,"width":754},"url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2019\/05\/talk-to-kids-about-vaping\/","about":["Family Health","Living and Wellness","Pediatrics"],"wordCount":725,"keywords":["dangers of nicotine vaping","nicotine addiction","talk to your kids about vaping"],"articleBody":"If you’re like many parents, you don\u2019t know how important it is to talk to your kids about vaping. Perhaps you\u2019re not very familiar with vapor products or you don\u2019t feel equipped to talk about the subject.Or maybe you\u2019ve heard that e-cig devices are less harmful than cigarettes and are, in fact, a useful smoking cessation tool.Here are some quick facts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention about the risks of e-cigarettes for kids, teens, and young adults:The use of e-cigarettes is unsafe for kids, teens, and young adults.Most e-cigarettes contain nicotine. Nicotine is highly addictive and can harm adolescent brain development.E-cigarettes can contain other harmful substances besides nicotine.Young people who use e-cigarettes may be more likely to smoke cigarettes in the future.Before you start talking to your kids about vaping, be sure you have the facts.Start your search to meet your family’s health care needs. Find a pediatrician at UPMC.\u00a0Important Facts About VapingConventional cigarettes produce smoke that is inhaled. Vaping products produce an aerosol that is inhaled. This aerosol isn\u2019t just a harmless water vapor \u2014 in addition to nicotine, it may contain toxic chemicals that could be linked to cancer, as well as respiratory and heart diseases.It\u2019s important to understand that the use of vapor products among youth is exploding. The\u00a0CDC\u00a0 found that flavors are a big part of the reason teens attracted to these products.Recent FDA research shows that vaping among high school and middle school students has risen from 48 to 78 percent. And that upward trend is accelerating.What Makes Vaping Addictive and DangerousLast year, researchers from the Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education at the University of California at San Francisco concluded that smoking e-cigs doubles a person’s odds of having of a heart attack.While the long-term dangers on the heart and lungs continue to be studied, the center found that \u201ce-cigarettes actually make it harder to quit smoking, so people end up as \u2018dual users\u2019 who keep smoking cigarettes while also using e-cigarettes.\u201d For daily dual users, the risk of a heart attack increases by a factor of five.Nicotine is also highly addictive, and the vapor from e-cigarette products deliver a concentrated dose of it. Just recently, the FDA reported that some e-cigarette users \u2014 mostly youth and young adults \u2014 have experienced seizures which signals a potential emerging safety issue.To put this in perspective, consider that a single pod of one of the most popular vaporizers on the market delivers the nicotine equivalent of an entire pack of cigarettes. And seizures and convulsions are known potential side effects of nicotine toxicity.How to Talk to Your Kids About VapingBefore starting a conversation with your kids, consider that teens put a high value on self-expression, positive reinforcement, fitting in, and fun. Healthy physical habits are of little, if any, importance.So don’t start by explaining the dangers of nicotine vaping or the probability of progressing to harder drugs. Show genuine curiosity by asking noncombative questions such as:\u2981 What’s the most popular vape flavor at your school? (Have you tried it?)\u2981 Why do you think so many teens are vaping these days? (What about it, if anything, would appeal to you?)\u2981 What have you seen teens give up to spend time and money vaping? (What would you rather do with that time or money?)\u2981 Are there more effective ways to show the world you’re independent, brave, or adventurous?Once your kid feels safe and chatty, ask what perceived need this activity would fill. Use their answers to frame the discussion.Gently point out the harm caused by vaping and the chemical effects of inhaling e-liquids. Don’t lecture. Remind your child that you were interested in fulfilling those same desires when you were young.Make the conversation an ongoing one. Suggest that your children visit the National Institutes of Health’s SmokeFreeTeen site and check out the mobile app which feature tools to help teens get and stay free from a nicotine addiction. Encourage your kids to think about how the information applies to real life and plan a time to discuss it together.Your child’s generation knows all about e-cigs and other vaporizers; as a parent, you should too.function load_upmc_video_1_raywafmc(obj,autoplay){window[\"autoplay_1_raywafmc\"]=autoplay;let $this=$(obj),el=document.createElement(\"script\");$this.removeAttr(\"onmouseover\").removeAttr(\"onclick\").html(\"\");el.src=\"https:\/\/cdnapisec.kaltura.com\/p\/5687602\/embedPlaykitJs\/uiconf_id\/53926702\";document.body.appendChild(el);var waiting_1_raywafmc=setInterval(function(){if(window[\"KalturaPlayer\"] !== undefined){clearInterval(waiting_1_raywafmc);try{let kalturaPlayer=KalturaPlayer.setup({targetId:\"kaltura-video_1_raywafmc_6a0e30eb054ab\",provider:{partnerId:\"5687602\",uiConfId:\"53926702\"},playback:{autoplay:autoplay_1_raywafmc}});kalturaPlayer.loadMedia({entryId:\"1_raywafmc\"});}catch(e){console.error(e);}document.getElementById(\"kaltura-video_1_raywafmc_6a0e30eb054ab\").dispatchEvent(new CustomEvent(\"videoLoad\",{bubbles:true,detail:{\"selector\":\"kaltura-video_1_raywafmc_6a0e30eb054ab\",\"account_id\":\"5687602\",\"player_id\":\"53926702\",\"video_id\":\"1_raywafmc\",\"autoplay\":\"autoplay_1_raywafmc\"}}));}},10);}"},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"2019","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2019\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"05","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2019\/\/05\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"How to Talk to Your Kids About Vaping","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2019\/05\/talk-to-kids-about-vaping\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]