E-cigs and teens

[Effex]

I've had an out-of-state family get together tonight and seen my niece who I haven't seen for a few years. She started smoking at 14, and is still smoking newports at 19, and is up to a pack a day. You know, the same old story of how we all got sucked in to the devils smoke one time or another..

So as we were hanging out, I started vaping on my go-go, and, since she never heard about or seen e-cigs before, it automatically brought up a long discussion about it. I was happy to help, and even think I converted yet another person, which is always nice.

But it got me thinking..

As e-cigs are getting more popular, and are clearly a much better alternative to analogs, what exactly does that mean for our kids, or nieces/nephews?

I'm just not sure how I would react if I were to see my 14 year old son (he's not there yet) smoking a cigarette. Of course I would do my best to educate him of the dangers. But knowing myself, and knowing that he is growing to be just as stubborn as I was, it's not gonna be enough.

E-cigs are an obviously safer, better alternative, I'm just not so sure that I should readily promote them as if it were a better brand of gum to chew on. But I'm just not coming up with any better alternative when I know that it'll most likely be either analogs, or e-cigs.

As much as I love e-cigs, and as much as I am grateful for them, at the end of the day, it is still something that I want to eventually drop, and completely free myself of all nicotine, devices, and everything associated with nicotine in general.

But we all know that trying to explain that to a teen is extremely difficult. So what would you do? If you're a parent with a smoking teen, how did you respond?

My son is still very young, he has a ways to go till he's exposed to becoming addicted to cigarettes, but it's something that I've personally thought about for a while, and after seeing my niece, I definitely wanted to get some opinions.

Thanks!

 

[mariahpoo]

Wow. That is a lot to think about. It would be a lot harder for teens (especially the younger ones) to even buy a pv.

IMHO If it was my kid I would try to not get them to smoke at all. However if they just would not stop... its hard... maybe give them a pv and 0 nic juice? They are still young and haven't been addicted for too long it should be easier to switch to just the social habit of the action of smoking (vaping). If there is no nic there is no harm right? Just in the case of getting your kid off cigs I mean. I would in no way promote a e-cig or pv to a underage for the purpose of using regardless if it was 0 nic.

Congrats with getting your 19 yo niece to switch!

 

[Effex]

Thanks for the reply, Mariah.

Yea I think a 0 nic alternative would be a good start, especially if they haven't smoked long.

 

[PsychOfMSE]

Wow. That is a lot to think about. It would be a lot harder for teens (especially the younger ones) to even buy a pv.

IMHO If it was my kid I would try to not get them to smoke at all. However if they just would not stop... its hard... maybe give them a pv and 0 nic juice? They are still young and haven't been addicted for too long it should be easier to switch to just the social habit of the action of smoking (vaping). If there is no nic there is no harm right? Just in the case of getting your kid off cigs I mean. I would in no way promote a e-cig or pv to a underage for the purpose of using regardless if it was 0 nic.

Congrats with getting your 19 yo niece to switch!

Honestly, it's much easier for someone under age to order a PV + Nic Juice. Any kid can walk into any drug store and buy a visa prepaid card. After that it's very simple to choose a different birthday and order anything you want.

Much easier than getting a fake ID made or try to convince some store clerk you're over 18.

 

[Tersur]

In My experiance a Teen is going to do it with or without your imput. If you can steer them tword vapeing. Especially 0mg so they still get there social smoke in im all for it.

 

[Dougiestyle]

Corporal punishment was always a deterrent to doing things my parents didn't approve of. Headlock or choke-hold while explaining your position usually makes it clear.

I'm kidding. Although, I think kids have it way to easy these days.

Good luck with your pending situation!

 

[hairball]

My daughter is now 22 and never smoked a day in her life....other than second hand from me. She always hounded me to quit. I think kids are better educated in school and are more sport oriented so steering clear of smoking is easier for them. I know here in Kansas, if a student who is in sports is caught smoking, they are kicked off the team for the rest of the season. I guess I was lucky and never worried about her smoking like I did.

 

[Retriever]

Kids do seem to stay away from smoking much more easily than when I started. I guess they are taught the evils of smoking in school and on tv. I don't agree with them taking up vaping, but I guess if they are determined enough - they will. Just don't want a bunch of kids thinking it is "cool" to vape. It would be a boon to the anti-vapers.

 

[mylose64]

Cigarettes are still cooler than e cigs duhhh

 

[hairball]

Kids do seem to stay away from smoking much more easily than when I started. I guess they are taught the evils of smoking in school and on tv. I don't agree with them taking up vaping, but I guess if they are determined enough - they will. Just don't want a bunch of kids thinking it is "cool" to vape. It would be a boon to the anti-vapers.

My daughter is the one who initially recommended an ecig about 2 years ago. Stubborn me didn't want to have an automatic withdraw from my account and thought they were overpriced/scam on top of it. Now I wish I would have listened. A month before I actually started, she brought it up again but I was still being stubborn and never looked back into it. 3 days before I received my first kit, a co-worker had a Joye 510 and it sparked my interest. I have both him and my daughter to thank. Kids are smarter these days but some are still as dumb as we were. I have encountered a few people on here that were never smokers but wanted to vape...I try to deter them but if that's what they want to do, so be it. I just hope they use 0 nic. I'll never understand why someone wants to pollute their body but I still don't understand why I started smoking either.

 

[Dieseler]

What poster #5 said are my exact sentiments.

 

[Effex]

Yea, I guess the main point I am trying to make is that, for us, e-cigs, along with the millions of mods and alterations we can do to them, is the "cool new thing". We get to subdue both our physical and mental addictions, with none (or almost none) of the negatives. And it works. We notice results, we are happy.

I just don't want kids, or even newcommers who never smoked before, to think that it's okay to do this, and to use our own reasoning and positive opinions about pv's as a scapegoat to vaping.

 

[Sa Da Tay]

I'm sure this has been elaborated on in one of the many advocacy-related threads, but I fear that unfortunately this very issue will be the downfall of ecigs, or at least the selling of them and nic juices online.

 

[Shizzle]

i *did* catch my son smoking cigs -- at age 15 (he's now 17). i brought out the heavy artillery:

for the next month, i blocked his cell phone and computer access, and then simply took away his allowance -- it's kinda hard to smoke when you have no money; especially since they're super expensive here in NY. therefore, even a "good" friend isn't going to allow you to bum them all that often.

and with no cell phone or computer, it's virtually impossible to hang out with anyone in the first place these days. i also refused to drive him to his former friend's houses -- told him he'd better find a new group to hang out with. to help facilitate this, i had him sign up for a couple clubs at school he was interested in, with better caliber kids. it worked.

 

[cags]

I'm old. with old ideas. (old doesn't always mean wrong) and I don't have kids, but I was one and I have plenty of relatives .

I think teens should be forbidden to smoke/vape/drink/etc. just like I was when I was a teen.

I turned into a "bad" girl at 17. and I did break my parents rules (most of them). but, I knew I was breaking a rule, I knew my parents didn't approve and I knew I would be punished if caught.

I've had friends who decided to be their kids "friend" so they didn't really forbid anything, drinking, smoking etc was allowed at home, because "they would do it anyway, it might as well be where I can watch them". so those kids grew up thinking their parents approved. and it didn't stop them from doing those things away from home anyway.

I know I hold an unpopular opinion and I've had the "you have no kids you have no idea" thrown at me, I don't care

I recommend everyone watch "worlds strictest parents" on the country music channel. they take 2 teens whose parents can't handle them and put them in a "strict" home for a week and most of those teens start behaving and stop smoking cold turkey (gasp) in a week.

 

[cags]

i *did* catch my son smoking cigs -- at age 15 (he's now 17). i brought out the heavy artillery:

lol I was writing as you were posting! I agree with your post!

 

[VapApe]

Honestly, it's much easier for someone under age to order a PV + Nic Juice. Any kid can walk into any drug store and buy a visa prepaid card. After that it's very simple to choose a different birthday and order anything you want.

Much easier than getting a fake ID made or try to convince some store clerk you're over 18.

Yes they could do this.
But think for a moment that package has to be delivered to some place.
And how many kids do you know stalk the mail box all the time.

As a parent if a package from Vapes R Us shows up addressed to my kid.
I would like to know what heck is going on.
It had better be my birth day or Christmas or there is going to be ell to pay.

 

[frosting]

Let's keep in mind, e-ciggs are cool to us. I've noticed many people who don't understand electronic cigarettes see them as "lame" , a "crutch" I've heard the whole " We smoke real ciggs, not those fake ones". I personally think kids being attracted to something you have to take the time to learn about isn't as likley considering a majority of the kids who seem to think smoking is "cool" arn't all that into learning at school as is.

 

[madjack]

I would do all in my power to discourage ANYONE, regardless of age from smoking or vaping if they hadn't already...if your kid is gonna smoke, there is a buncha good advice all ready given...YMMV, Caveat Emptor, etc..........
madjack

 

[McGee]

I'm 19, I started smoking cigarettes not too long ago, 3 years? I had to realize for myself that if I kept the habit up I'd lose everything. And my family is important to me, but what did it for me was my close group of friends. They always told me to quit, and I would always reply with "workin' on it". I found e-cigarettes with the help of myself. I did my research, and I've been analog free for about a month and a half. Sometimes one has to just realize it for themselves, especially stubborn teens. It has to be made clear that the addiction will kill them. It's all about educating us, we're still developing, especially in the brain. We make risky decisions, but we still have the ability to learn and retain information. An impact must be made. You just have to find the right spot and keep nudging at it. I actually made a detailed plan out for myself regarding the use of e-cigarettes and nicotine levels. I've already dropped from 18 to 12 within the start of vaping, planning on going until I don't even have to vape.

Also, another thing regarding analogs, they're expensive. We're only teens. It's not worth it in the long