E-cigs and teens

[Creniker]

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

Please don't flame:

I am 18. But I smoked for 5 years, starting socially, but because of my addictive personality, I quickly moved to a pack a dayer. When I was smoking last, I was up to 3 packs a day. I'm also a teen parent. I wanted so bad to quit for my son. When he was born. When he turned one. I even tried a cheap 510 setup and it didnt work. Finally before my son turned two I found this website after purchasing a green nicotine kit to try to quit again. Thanks to the help of people on this site, I've been smoke free for 4 months roughly. I haven't smoked since my son turned two. So maybe teens shouldn't be just picking up vaping, but as a means to quit as a teen, I think its a good way to go about it. I couldn't have done it without vaping.

 

[QusieQ]

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.

My son is 15, and my daughter is 10. They are both so proud of me for not smoking analogs anymore, but they are always interested in my newest flavor. I stopped calling my liquids, juice. Juice sounds yummy to the young, I still need them to know that vaping is not okay, but a safer alternative to an addiction I had that was killing me --in my opinion no different than nic gum, chantix, and the like.

Your niece is 19, I think you did a great thing introducing her to e-cigs!!

Good discussion.

 

[PaulB]

I'm trying to peel back 40+ years and imagine myself as a smoking-curious teen taking up vaping instead (at 0 nic, no less), and it just doesn't compute. No cool factor and none of the dangerousness that is so enticing at that age.

 

[MegaBee]

I smoked all my childrens life... not in the house but still they knew I smoked and often if they wanted to "chat to me" they would sit outside with me on the verandah while I smoked and we chatted.. my children are now 21 and 18, neither of them have smoked and hate smoking and often watched disapointed while I attempted to give up smoking and failed again this time they are so proud of me My son laughs at my fake cig but is still proud of me.

 

[cags]

I'm trying to peel back 40+ years and imagine myself as a smoking-curious teen taking up vaping instead (at 0 nic, no less), and it just doesn't compute. No cool factor and none of the dangerousness that is so enticing at that age.

also, as a teen I would have had no place to hide all the vaping stuff - or a place to fiddle with it unnoticed. much easier to hide a pack of cigs and lighter

 

[Effex]

Just to add a little side note,

I just came back from a night of poker at a friends house, who I haven't seen in a while, and it so happens that every single one of them are smokers.

I haven't been around cigarette smoke in that kind of concentration for so long now. Maybe 8 months or so. And holy mother of god. I was sneezing, coughing, nose got stuffed shut within an hour. I was barely able to play cards.

I busted out my trusty pv, and they of course never liked the idea of em, so as usual, they would laugh it up about my light saber looking ego-t with a huge clearomizer, but it's fine, I've been vaping for 3 years now, I laugh right back.

But the interesting part about all of it, was that my friends new GF also smoked, and she was really curious about my pv. I told her about it, and gave her this website, etc.. During the whole time of me explaining the major benefits of e-smoking, they were constantly and deliberately trying to talk down about it and tell her to forget about it. And again, I'm not trying to talk down about my friends, they are my brothers who are just as stubborn and often ignorant about the things they choose not to change, but it got me further thinking about my OP.

If a crowd of 28-30 year olds think this way, then how plausible would it be for a teen to single him/herself out of a crowd of friends their age and put themselves up for scrutiny and judgement (even if its just poking fun) - The chances are pretty damn slim.

I guess it creates a sort of a paradox. We want what's best for our kids, and the best alternative is obviously being drug/substance free, but we can't always have that, we can only try our best. Punishment, education, reinforcement, are all great tools, but like I said, we can only hope that they work. It is human nature to make mistakes, and cigarette smoking is one of the biggest, deadliest ones of em all.

Just food for thought I guess.

And thanks for all the replies. That's why I love this forum!

 

[Running Wolf]

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.

When you tell a teenager to do something (as a parent) you know the kid will most likely do the opposite. That's part of the rebellious teen years. I wouldn't want my daughter smoking or vaping but vaping is more safe than smoking.

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.

I don't really think a kid will go through that trouble. Mostly because it eliminates the rush of scamming the cashier. The other end is that most of the teens (and a lot of adults too) are the NOW NOW NOW type and don't want to be bothered stalking the mail man.

There may be people claiming that underage kids are doing this with juices and PVs but it also means that if they are there would be a higher percentage of kids doing it with on-line wine and liquor sales. I don't think I've read in the paper or heard on the news about this happening. It's easier to get a friend who is over 21 to go to a liquor store and get a bottle. The same goes with getting a pack of analogs.

Cigarettes are still cooler than e cigs duhhh

That is a large part of it as well.

Back in my day (OMGs I just sounded like my grandfather) you'd see kids hanging out and smoking. That is not unseen now but it is a lot more rare than when I graduated in '87. there would be a cloud of smoke near the school from all the kids lighting up as soon as they were off school grounds.

I haven't seen one kid vaping. I worked with a kid who had graduated the year before, said he tried vaping for a week and didn't like it.