Gan recommended that parents “give them opportunities to go into programs that could kind of nurture a healthier habit compared to vaping.” Make it a point to get to know your children’s friends and monitor their social media activity. Being able to handle peer pressure will help protect them from vaping and other harmful behavior. Have a two-way conversation about facts with your teen rather than lecturing them or using scare tactics.
Conversation Tips By Age
You’re stressed out about school and your friend offers you a puff of their vape pen. For example, propylene glycol which is commonly found in antifreeze and paint solvent. It also contains formaldehyde which is a cancer causing chemical.
- The next section will explore the role of peer pressure in influencing young individuals to engage in vaping behavior.
- A much higher percentage of kids have tried vaping than most parents recognize.
- Healthy coping mechanisms can include engaging in physical activity, practicing mindfulness or meditation, journaling, or seeking support from a trusted adult or counselor.
- Teens can try out different responses, perhaps saying they tried it before and didn’t like it.
Health Fast Facts
When it comes to vaping, “it’s not a matter of if your child will get asked, but when,” Dahl says. Students have told her about the intense peer pressure they’re under to try vaping. They get asked in the bathrooms at school, behind the stadium at Friday football games, on the bus on the way to a tennis match. In fact, the vaping liquid in Juul’s pods contains surprisingly high levels of nicotine. Though a 5% nicotine by weight pod contains less than an eyedropper-full of liquid, it delivers the same amount of nicotine as a person would get by smoking an entire pack of regular cigarettes.
PARENT TIPS: HEALTHY HABITS AT HOME
But the friend of Dahl’s sons had a good reason to be thinking about vaping in her presence. Earlier that month, he’d attended one of her talks about vaping health risks. Dahl works as a research assistant at Yale’s Tobacco Centers of Regulatory Science (TCORS) and has given presentations at more than 50 school and community groups across Connecticut. One afternoon last October, Tricia Dahl lingered in the kitchen as her two sons, then ages 14 and 15, and their friends filled their plates with pizza bites and chips. One of the friends turned to Dahl and said he’d heard a lot of classmates say that a popular vaping device didn’t contain nicotine in its refillable vape liquid.
Harmful effects of vaping
This article aims to explore the intersection of vaping and peer pressure, shedding light on the unhealthy dynamics that often underlie this dangerous habit. Dr. Van Der List has also observed this dynamic in her practice, noting that many teens vape to cope with stress or anxiety. She stressed that avoiding the conversation or being vague only leads teens to seek answers elsewhere. Bagwill’s experience highlights the challenge of broaching the subject with teens—especially when vaping has become so normalized in schools and among peer groups.
Social/school consequences
- She kept the conversation going by asking the boys what they thought about vaping.
- It is important to remember that there are healthier and safer ways to cope with the challenges of adolescence.
- Once you know your boundaries, it’s easier to say no with more confidence.
- But using these emotions as a platform to have ‘the talk’ is bound to backfire.
- By showcasing a healthy lifestyle and making informed choices, parents can instill in their children the importance of prioritizing their well-being.
Be direct about your concerns and prepared to revisit the subject as often as needed. The post Teen advisers offer tips on avoiding peer pressure to vape appeared first on CHOC Children’s Blog. Our objective is to empower you with practical measures to start the conversation regarding the hazards of vaping. This checklist offers a systematic approach to tackling these pressing concerns. By being well-prepared, you can actively engage with your children, foster trust, and encourage responsible decision-making, ultimately diminishing the likelihood of vaping and its potential repercussions. Identifying vaping involves recognizing the use of electronic devices that produce aerosols from heated liquids, often containing nicotine or other substances.
Recognising the Risks
Understanding how friends shape behaviors can help us guide teens toward healthier choices. In some cases, addressing vaping and peer pressure may require the assistance of professionals. Parents should be willing to seek professional help if they feel overwhelmed or if their child’s involvement in vaping becomes a serious concern.
Start, instead, with a focus on the addictive nature of nicotine. What parents may not know, however, is that their teens crave a listening ear and a chance to talk freely about this peer pressure. “They need to feel like they are not Substance abuse being judged or questioned about their use, but just need advice on how best to handle these situations,” Dahl says.
- Staying on top of current legislation around vaping can also help you feel more equipped.
- When confronted with the pressure to vape, it is important to have alternative strategies in place to deal with stress, anxiety, and social pressure.
- When it comes to vaping, “it’s not a matter of if your child will get asked, but when,” Dahl says.
- Peer pressure refers to the influence exerted by one’s peers, often in a social setting, to conform to certain behaviors, values, or norms.
However, if you can back up your concerns with facts, chances are you’ll be able to shift the tone from a lecture to a conversation. You can read more about the impacts of vaping on young people in this recently published paper. Strengthening teens’ abilities to resist peer influence, especially during late adolescence, could be a promising strategy for preventing youth vaping. Friends Are a Major Factor Research shows that friends are often the main indirect peer pressure reason teens try vaping. A study revealed that teens got their first e-cigarette from a friend and frequently vaped with their friends the first time. In another study, vaping started during socializing, occurring when “hanging out”.
