son getting into vaping

[GreekLion]

I'd just address the bigger issue: if he was vaping behind your back to "be cool" - what's next? I would not be happy, and would definitely NOT support it just because of the "sneaky" aspect of it.

Just me. You can do as you like, of course.

I agree with this. Certainly 99% of people who are involved in the community were former or soon-to-be former smokers - adults who made conscious choices to quit smoking and use the best tool available, I would even say mostly responsible and friendly people. It is easy to say that this is very much harmless compared to cigarettes and other substances, but the societal impact and youth reception haven't really been examined because it simply hasn't been around long enough.

I don't imagine kids even wanting to smoke after trying the e-cig, but I can say at least this: the e-cig community is probably the happiest, most friendly, most helpful, and most supportive group of people in America and potentially the world. People want to live a healthier life, and we generally help each other get there.

If your son does get into it more, he will have the opportunity to meet and network with some great friendly people. The differences between e-cigarettes and regular cigarettes go far beyond tobacco and vapor

 

[chrisf8657]

Here's another point of view.

Regardless guys, he's 16. Even if you take it away, he'll get another one and hide it.
When I was 16 and smoked, my father being a ex-smoker, he bought cigarettes for me until I was 18. He knew there was no way he could get me to stop, first being addicted to nicotine, and two knowing I would just get them elsewhere and hide them.

The good thing is he's using zero nic juice, but I'd still lay into him about where it can lead and that smoking sucks. Stay on the zero nic. Period. I smoked from 13 to now, 31, just getting off them thanks to vaping. I tried the patches and gum - nada help.

On the other hand, I worry this is going to be a gateway to trying something else - cigarettes or nicotine - {Other Stuff} - whatever, espicially trying to impress his friends. But that's teenagers. It stays the same no matter what generation.

 

[twall]

When raising my kids, it was not so much how they chose to impress others, as it was in their need to impress others in the first place. The method could very greatly among each child; sometimes mild, sometimes it was a rude call in the middle of the night!

If done to impress others, I would be much quicker to deal with that need rather than the particular method they used to let others know. Remember, kids are kids and they don't have the judgment we wish upon them.

Call me old - fasioned, but I thought that's what parents were FOR - to BE their judgement until they have obtained the skill. Sometimes, you just can't be their buddy, and you HAVE to be a harda**.

 

[freeall]

If he's vaping to be cool and show off, I'd say let it him go with it.

He could be out stealing cars and carrying guns. Vaping is the least of a parents worries.

Embrace it.

 

[GrandPapa]

Hi,
The boy is 16 going on ancient...I would say (my own opinion) is explain to him the addiction to smoking analogs have on people,
the consequences of analogs have on your body...not now but down the road...I started smoking when I was 12...I am 70 now and have copd (emphesyma(sp))
and can't walk a block without stopping to catch my breath...I now vape (with nic at 24mg) and haven't had a cig since June this year.
Just mention this to him as information not as a lecture...
Good luck and 'God less"
Jim

 

[petstyle]

Exactly my point i feel that since he is vapign 0mg nic(dont be worried i sat down with him and lectured him about how nicotine is bad)he should be fine i can see where everyone is coming from and this can be debated all day long but the fact is kids are sneaky we've all been kids once we know that we all hide stuff from our parents im just glad hes vaping and not smoking analogs,etc... Altho it may be frowned apon in some peoples minds i feel as a parent good to know why my son is doing and hes not doing it behind my back im trying to embrace it because i dont want him getting stuff from his friends,strangers not knowing whats in it,where it came from i feel much more reashured that im able to buy him juice,etc... because i would use it myself

 

[AzPlumber]

I would certainly discourage it, even without nic we still don't know the long term effects on the body or the lungs. At 16 the body still has quite a bit of developing physically and mentally to go through. I disagree that 16 is old enough to make his own lifestyle decisions without guidance from an adult especially if they are a follower. I understand the challenges of guiding a 16 year old but I certainly wouldn't give them the impression that vaping is a good thing. No doubt vaping is better than smoking but would you give him a green light to smoke had vaping not come about?

 

[TheJakeBailey]

I guess I really don't understand the "they are going to do it anyway" mentality. I realize I'm being extreme, but what if drugs or booze are the next thing he wants to do to impress his friends? Isn't it our job as the adult in the relationship to set rules and hold them accountable? They may or may not follow them, but i don't understand this just giving them a pass. Seems like parents are really giving themselves a pass, not their kids.

 

[joesquid]

It isn't illegal to vape 0mg at any age...please show the statute before spewing nonsense

Maybe not in Ca but it sure is in Va. I think you'll find each state is different if you want to look at the statutes.

 

[danny4x4]

Act 1: Since he's vaping 0mg, i see no harm in that.
Act 2: (Starts vaping with nic) Well at least, he's not smoking.
Act 3: (Starts drinking beer while vaping) Not a problem. It's not hard liquor.
Act 4: (Starts drinking hard liquor) Hey, he's not doing drugs.
Act 5: (yep, you guessed it) He's not robbing or anything to get his fix right?
And it goes on and on.

Just an extreme example. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that's what you'll do. It's just an example of what MAY happen. My parents punished me when they caught me smoking. Did it stop me? No. We've all been through that. Thinking back, the only way that i would have quit was to break away from a certain group of "friends". Maybe your son needs new and better friends?

End of the day, it's your call. No one can judge you. No right and no wrong way. I'm just giving my opinion. It all depends on the teenager in question and you'll know your son best.

 

[Katcandoo]

Maybe not in Ca but it sure is in Va. I think you'll find each state is different if you want to look at the statutes.

It is legal for minors to purchase, possess and consume 0 mg juice in Virginia. Section H clearly defines the prohibited products as those containing nicotine.

https://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?000+cod+18.2-371.2

 

[James Wilson]

I started analogs when 16 to help relieve stress. Minors will always find ways to get them. Now I don't like the idea of your son doing it to look cool but at least he isn't on analogs and is only on 0 nic. I'd say try not to be overbearing. Support it but let him know that every now and then you will be checking the juice for nicotine. At the very least you could make a deal with him to have him bring the bottles to you to look when he buys new juices. By letting him come to you with them it shows you still trust him some and he is less likely to rebel. If you get too up in his face about it and stuff he will feel like you don't trust him and is more likely to rebel and possibly end up moving up to nicotine or even worse, analogs. That said, I really with these had been around when I was a teenager. I likely wouldn't have dropped out of high school because I could have got my nicotine in me in the bathrooms and been able to make it through the school day without being too stressed. I got picked on a lot which didn't help. That lead to me quitting school. Though later on I did get my GED. The difference between me and your son though is I needed a way to relax me and to relieve stress. I was on meds at one point but all they made me do was sleep so I quit those. It was about a year later I started smoking. That did more for me then the meds ever did. lol. Still though he is looking to impress and that isn't a good reason to start up a bad habit. But it's at 0 nic so best to just set a few ground rules on it. Had it had nic or even worse been an analog, it would be much tougher to deal with. Simply cause you wouldn't be able to just get him to stop. This way you got a chance. Chances are after a while he will get bored with it and just move on to something else. Though I hope whatever that something else is, it isn't worse.

 

[supertrunker]

"I started analogs when 16 to help relieve stress."

Yeah - the mortgages, the car notes, the medical bills - a real bummer at 16! Stress? LOL

BTW - you may be comforted to realise that most teens that vape do so for the same reason as adults, namely to quit a tobacco habit. So it's a gateway alright, but not in the way the media would have you believe.

T

 

[jimbodaddy74]

He could go to the local pharmacy and pick up some fruity fun flavored nicorette!

 

[James Wilson]

"I started analogs when 16 to help relieve stress."

Yeah - the mortgages, the car notes, the medical bills - a real bummer at 16! Stress? LOL

BTW - you may be comforted to realise that most teens that vape do so for the same reason as adults, namely to quit a tobacco habit. So it's a gateway alright, but not in the way the media would have you believe.

T

People like you really are idiots. Yes it isn't near the same level of stress as being an adult. I am 30 now so I know the difference. But when your teenage your tolerance to stress is much different. Not to mention I had a huge anger problem. I was in special ed most of my school career cause the Dr. thought I had ADD. The special ed classes messed me up far worse. I didn't begin to normalize until high school. But here came the problems. I was picked on in Jr. High some but not as bad as High School. I was picked on for various reasons. Because I was poor and didn't have as nice clothes, because I acted a little weird, and mostly because I was different. The thing is I could see how different I was. I didn't fit in with any social circle. That includes other special ed kids. My parents had just gotten divorced and my dad was causing a lot of problems for my mom. The picking on was verbal stuff. No one had the guts to actually try something physically. I with it had been that. I could have done something. But I couldn't. Couldn't go to teachers either because the bullies were always people in groups and would lie for each other saying they didn't do anything. So the adults in the school believed them over me. Then add in the fact I couldn't even get a lousy date. I know none of this is like on the adult level. But when your a teenager your emotional development isn't always high enough at that point to be able to handle it as easily. Why do you think there is such a problem among teenagers who suffer from depression and are constantly cutting themselves? Why do you think kids have snapped and gone on shooting sprees in schools? RememberColumbine? What helped me from going to that point was smoking. Once I started things were a bit better and to start with it was just 1 every night before I went to bed. I ended up quitting though because it got to be too much for me. I was at a breaking point. It was either I get out right away or I was going to go nuts and start hurting people in that school. Looking back I realize it isn't like stress is as an adult. But as an adult I am able to handle stress a bit better. Though I still need nicotine. But I am more mature emotionally now then I was then too. I take it you didn't really get picked on much back when you were younger or at the very least it was stuff you could actually do something about. Until you have been through the kind of stuff I have, the kind of stuff lots of people when they were teens/kids, stuff that a lot of teens and kids are going through now, you have no right to judge. The only reason I shared my experience was cause I was trying to relate to what it was like when I was younger. People start smoking for all sorts of reason. The dumbest to look cool of course. But is this a sign of an already cool kids trying to keep cool or does he perhaps get picked on and the parents don't know and he wants to vape just to fit in. Being too hard on the kid could be the worst thing to do. I don't have any kids myself. But when people make decisions I try to think about what it might be like from their point of view. I think to where I was at that point in my life. I try to put myself into where they are. I consider the possibilities of the actions of others around them and things in their life that might effect that decision to figure out why they might do certain things. I really wish I had gone to college. I could have had a great career in psychology. lol

 

[Davey59]

"I started analogs when 16 to help relieve stress."

Yeah - the mortgages, the car notes, the medical bills - a real bummer at 16! Stress? LOL

BTW - you may be comforted to realise that most teens that vape do so for the same reason as adults, namely to quit a tobacco habit. So it's a gateway alright, but not in the way the media would have you believe.

T

Oh, teenage years are not all that rosy for many kids. There stress is different than ours and they have less coping abilities. Love the gateway turn around, classic switch! fricken awesome. Great T shirt idea.

 

[James Wilson]

Oh, teenage years are not all that rosy for many kids. There stress is different than ours and they have less coping abilities. Love the gateway turn around, classic switch! fricken awesome. Great T shirt idea.

You explained that in much shorter words then I did. lol. It just frustrates me when people don't seem to realize it.

 

[yoitstj]

I started smoking at age 15 so the whole age / law thing, pshh whatever. My thing is what if he was to use that vape for illegal substances like a lot of people are doing now.....? Chances are he wont come to you then and say hey look what Im doing. Im not saying he shouldnt be vaping. Just keep talking to him about the dangers of the real world. Addiction is not a fun time.

 

[rhean]

I started smoking at age 15 so the whole age / law thing, pshh whatever. My thing is what if he was to use that vape for illegal substances like a lot of people are doing now.....? Chances are he wont come to you then and say hey look what Im doing. Im not saying he shouldnt be vaping. Just keep talking to him about the dangers of the real world. Addiction is not a fun time.

If my kids smoked, then wanted to switch to vaping, I'd support them, legal or not. If they wanted to vape cuz it's cool, I don't think I would support it. otoh, if they have friends who smoke, and if I had reason to believe that vaping was keeping them off analogs, again, I'd support it. All imo.

 

[Zelphie]

Here's where it gets murky.

The FDA will say it's a gateway to drugs whether teens use 0mg or not.

You as a parent now have the responsibility of making sure he:

1. Doesn't vape with Nicotine
2. Doesn't get caught vaping Nicotine
3. Doesn't move on to actual analogs to further impress his friends

It's completely your decision whether you support him or not. I personally don't think impressing his friends is a good enough excuse to condone it. Now if he had been smoking analogs before vaping my opinion might be a little different.

What she said.