Understanding Teen Vaping & Smoking: A Parents' Guide

Synopsis: Discovering why teens vape or smoke reveals peer pressure, stress, curiosity, and desire to appear mature. Parents can prevent it by educating, communicating, and being role models. When addressing it, understanding and support are key.

Estimated read time: 6 mins

As parents, we want the best for our children. While vaping and/or smoking sounds like something that our child or teenager may not dabble with, do you know why some do?

1. They want to fit in with friends.
   
   Their friends who are regular vapers/smokers may offer them a vape and/or cigarettes and dare them to try. Young people may give in just to be accepted by the group. When someone they admire or think is cool vape and/or smokes, they may wrongly assume that vaping/smoking is cool too.
   
   
2. They are stressed.
   
   Children and teenagers have to cope with many changes — their bodies are growing in ways that are new to them; they are expected to be independent and to do well in school. They find it even more important to make new friends … the list goes on. To relieve stress, some may pick up vaping/smoking, misled into thinking that it can offer some form of relief.
   
   
3. They want to appear more adult.
   
   Many first-time vapers/smokers see it as part of growing up and think that it makes them look more mature, confident and ‘cool’. When they see their older friends vape and/or smoke, they may have the misconception that this is what mature adults do.
   
   
4. They are curious about cigarettes.
   
   Children and teenagers are curious about new things. They may have seen people vaping or smoking on television on the internet or in magazines and want to find out what vaping/smoking feels like.
   
   Sometimes they may also be bored and vape or smoke just to have something to do. As their bodies get addicted to nicotine, it may turn into a lifelong habit.

Here are some tips to prevent your child or teenager from vaping/smoking. 

1. Educate them on the harmful effects of vaping/smoking.
   
   Vaping and smoking can cause breathing problems from the toxic ingredients in the vape liquid and/or cigarettes. If they are watching any social media content with the content creator lighting up, take the opportunity to discuss how vaping/smoking is being falsely glamourised in the media. 
   
   
2. Communicate openly and spend more time with your child or teenager. 
   
   Build rapport, let your child or teenager invite their friends to your home so that you can get to know them.
   
   
3. Be a good role model. 
   
   If you don’t smoke, share your own experiences on your reasons not to. If you do, make the decision to quit smoking. There are smoking cessation programmes to help you quit.  

If you suspect that your child or teenager has started experimenting with vaping/smoking:

Do not judge

• Find out why your child or teenager has experimented through rephrasing your questions into observation or remark such as “Hey, I noticed that you have started vaping/smoking.”, which sounds less accusing. 
• Listen to their views with an open mind and they will feel more willing to listen to your views and share their problems with you.

Be patient

• Try to pay attention, not to interrupt or rush to give your comments while they are talking. It’s best not to be sarcastic with replies, refrain from nagging, shouting, threatening, or using emotional blackmail. These may hurt your child/teenager’s feelings and make him/her want to vape/smoke more, just to irritate you.
• If you get frustrated and angry halfway through the discussion, tell your child or teenager to give you some time to calm down. Do not just walk away or ignore him/her. Remember that the discussion is about them, not you.

Be there for them

• Believe it when your child/teenager complains about peer pressure to try smoking. Suggest ways for your child/teenager to turn down cigarette offers without offending their friends. Look at their personality. If your child/teenager is shy, they can say “No thanks, I don’t like the taste” or make an excuse to leave. If your child is outgoing, they can laugh it off and say “No way! It’s not my style!”
• Remind them that they can find and hang out with friends who are non-smokers. If they have to be around smokers, your child/teenager can bring these non-smoking friends along for support.

*Kindly note that airtime charges apply for mobile calls to 1800 service lines and calls are free of charge only if made from regular land lines.

Download the HealthHub app on Google Play or Apple Store to access more health and wellness advice at your fingertips.

Visit Parent Hub, for more useful tips and guides to give your child a healthy start. 

Read these next:

• "Vaping is not smoking", and Other Tobacco Myths
• Parenting Tips: Bonding with Your Teenager
• Quit Smoking and Make New Friends with New Hobbies
• Quit Smoking For Your Loved Ones