A Parents’ Guide to Vaping
Vaping is the inhaling of a vapour created by an electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) or other vaping device.
E-cigarettes are battery-powered smoking devices. They have cartridges filled with a liquid that usually contains nicotine, flavourings, and chemicals.
What Are the Health Effects of Vaping?
Vaping hasn’t been around long enough for us to know how it affects the body over time. But health experts are reporting serious lung damage in people who vape, including some deaths.
Vaping puts nicotine into the body. Nicotine is highly addictive and can:
- slow brain development in kids and teens and affect memory, concentration, learning, self-control, attention, and mood
- increase the risk of other types of addiction as adults
E-cigarettes also:
- irritate the lungs
- may cause serious lung damage and even death
- can lead to smoking cigarettes and other forms of tobacco use
Some people use e-cigarettes to vape marijuana, THC oil, and other dangerous chemicals. Besides irritating the lungs, these drugs also affect how someone thinks, acts, and feels.
Six signs that your teen is vaping
- Unusual items in their bags – vaping devices have many parts including detachable tanks, batteries, chargers and some are like USB devices
- Sweet smells – 73% of teens prefer fruit flavour vaping so smelling sickly sweet fruit aromas is likely to be a strong sign
- Changes in taste or more thirsty – vaping dries the mouth and so an increase in drinking is a potential sign
- Shortness of breath – as with smoking it is thought that vaping affects the lungs and will lead to shortness of breath. If they are sporty this will become clear during training and matches
- Nosebleeds – vaping also dries out the nostrils as the vaping gas is exhaled. This can lead to nosebleeds
- Changes in their behaviour – during the teen years their behaviour will inevitably change, however, taking nicotine, and becoming addicted further affects emotional control
How Can Parents Help?
To help your children understand the risks of vaping and take control of their health, you can:
- Suggest that they look into local programs and websites that help people quit vaping. Your health care provider can help you and your child find the right support
- Lend your support as your teen tries to quit
- Set a good example by taking care of your own health. If you smoke or vape, make the commitment to quit
- Talk to your children about the reports of serious lung damage, and even deaths, in people who vape
- Download tools (such as apps and texting programs) to their phone that can help with cravings and give encouragement while they’re trying to stop vaping
- Understand withdrawal. Nicotine addiction leads to very strong cravings for nicotine. It can also lead to headaches, feeling tired, cranky or depressed, trouble concentrating or sleeping, hunger, restlessness
To be clear the legal age to vape in the UK is 18; it is also illegal to buy vaping materials
If you feel you need any further support, then please look at this link:
https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/e-cigarettes.html
Our Pastoral Team are always willing to support. Please contact them if needed.
Frank
is a charity that provides advice and information for young people and parents on drugs
Project 28
Project 28 is the young people’s drug and alcohol service in Bath & North East Somerset.
They provide advice, guidance and one-to-one sessions for young people who are having problems with drugs and/or alcohol. The service is free and confidential, and they aim to provide a flexible and non-judgemental space for young people to be open about the problems they are facing.
Stonewall
Stonewall is a lobbying and focus group working for equality for LGBT and provide support and help for people experiencing abuse and/or discrimination because of their sexuality.
Willow
Willow is a key support group for victims, and potential victims, of Child Sexual Exploitation. If you ever had any concerns over your child, please contact them below, and also inform the school Designated Safeguarding Lead or Deputy Safeguarding Leads.
