Know the Risks & Know the Law.

Vaping Use Prevention

OUR PRIORITIES

Many vape devices that kids use have a higher nicotine content than a pack of cigarettes.
Teens often vape to help them deal with their stress and anxiety, but vaping only exacerbates a teen’s stress and anxiety – check out this link.
Teens typically use vapes that contain a fruit or sweet flavored nicotine liquid that is highly addictive and can lead to a dependence on nicotine.
Teens who vape are more likely to start smoking cigarettes and use other drugs.

Vaping nicotine poses a range of risks and negative consequences. It is dangerous because:

What is a Vape?
A vape or an electronic cigarette device is a way for people to ingest nicotine or marijuana oils. They come in all different shapes and sizes. See the guide on the right. Vape devices heat the liquid nicotine or marijuana oil rather than burning it. Vaping is NOT healthier than smoking. People who vape are at risk for respiratory problems just as smokers are.

Reminder: The legal age to vape or smoke is 21.

How Do I Know if My Child is Vaping?

Child has nosebleeds
Child has developed a ‘smoker’s cough” or mouth sores
New rechargers are around
Discarded disposable vape devices or pods

Things to notice include:

Sweet aroma in the air
Unfamiliar pens, USB/thumb drives, or small boxes with spouts,
Child drinks more water or seems dehydrated

Tips to Help Your Teen Quit Vaping

To help your teen quit vaping, refrain from shaming or losing your temper. Remember, nicotine (and marijuana) is highly addictive. Your child is going to need your help and support to quit their dependence to their vape. One suggestion is to help your child taper down or gradually decrease the amount of nicotine they are consuming:

Discuss with your teen the times during the day they vape and why.
Of the times your teen vapes, which one time could your teen go without vaping; the idea is you decrease from there.
Another approach is to decrease the amount of nicotine being vaped then cut down the number of times your teen vapes. If you child is vaping a disposable vape or using a cartridge with 5% nicotine content, try reducing to 3% nicotine content, then 1%, as well as decreasing the number of times your teen vapes.
Cravings will happen; they won’t last long, maybe a few minutes, but it will be important that your teen tries a variety of strategies such as
- Exercising, even a burst of jumping jacks or push-ups help
- Drinking lots of water, important to stay hydrated
- Peeling and eating an orange
- Sucking on sugarless peppermint candy
Remember, your teen will not only have to deal with nicotine withdrawal, but address the hand-to-mouth motion, so maybe chewing on a straw or eating carrot sticks might be a helpful alternative.

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Other Helpful Websites

If you’re between the ages of 13 and 24, you can receive free and confidential vaping cessation text messages from the Truth Initiative to help you quit. Text “VapeFreeCT” to 88709 to get started.

Call the CT Quit Line: 1-800 QUIT-NOW (784-8669)

Visit teen.smokefree.gov for more quitting resources.