Would you buy your teen a vape kit?

[Bontasia]

This topic came up when I was talking to a friend and I wanted to get some different opinions on it.

I'll preface my answer by saying I'm a 40-something year-old female (going on 20) and I don't have children but I was one a looong time ago. I remember being 15 and smoking my first cigarette out behind my house in the middle of the night with my best friend who was spending the night. It was a Virginia Slim that we had bought a few hours before and maaaan did we think we were cool. That first cigarette started a 29 year addiction that vaping wiped out in one shot about a month and a half ago.

Almost from that day 29 years ago cigarettes ruled my life. Absolutely and with no question.

It started with hiding it from my parents, always having perfume and hairspray in my purse to mask the smell (yeah right) along with gum and BINACA (do they sell that still??) and from there do I have cigarettes and did I put that last cigarette out and skipping what prolly amounts to hundreds of birthdays, anniversarys and countless other family events because and only because I couldn't smoke there. Three hours till I get off work and then I can smoke! I have 2 cigarettes left should I smoke them now and then go to the store or smoke one now and have one for on the way??

Not to mention the health concerns that quite frankly I learned to slip to wayyy back in my mind till they really didn't exist. I wasn't carting around an oxygen tank yet so no big deal. I knew it was killing me, but not today!

All that rambling to say that if I had a lets say 16 year-old who wanted to vape, I'd buy him/her a kit and supply of 0 nic eliquid. I would hope they wouldn't want to smoke OR vape but we all know if they wanna they're gonna. I'm old but not too old to remember that when I was 16, if you wanted to smoke or drink or "other things" it was NEVER that hard to do. Most people had an older sibling or aunt or uncle or in some cases parent who would be more than willing to oblige.

Your thoughts?

 

[Burn_notice_fan_NY]

Touchy topic. I wouldn't want my future children smoking or vaping... But if I smelled that stench on them more than once, I would most certainly buy a kit.

 

[Kracker]

I will say this my ex's daughter is now 18 & son is 16 but I raised both of them and still look at them as mine I'd rather see them vaping than smoking !!

I started spending my lunch money on cigarettes when I was in 7'th grade (12 yrs old) been smoking since. I think vaping would be better than smoking but at that age in MY opinion it's ALL about being cool and not too much about getting nicotine so if the other "cool" kids aren't vaping they're not going to want to.
Kinda reminds me of the parents that use to let their kids drink at home because they didn't want them to do it on the street. They became our party houses REAL quick !

 

[Bontasia]

Kinda reminds me of the parents that use to let their kids drink at home because they didn't want them to do it on the street. They became our party houses REAL quick !

I only had one friend like this but yup, her dad and step-mom bought us alcohol and cigarettes as long as we stayed at their house. Maaaaan if my parents knew that woulda been MESSY.

 

[josepDhrudy]

If ever I will have children.. I will not allow them.. but still it's still their decision.. but as much as possible I won't

 

[steved5600]

NOBODY under the age of 18 should be allowed. If the can't legally smoke they should not be vapeing. Minors vaping is one of the reasons the FDA is about to drop a big hammer on the industry. Shame on anybody who allows it.

 

[peraspera]

I trust that responsible parents will make responsible decisions regarding their teens and vaping. Those decisions will be different since circumstances and the personalities of the teens will differ. I don't feel that those decisions are any of my business as long as they are lawful.

 

[Bontasia]

NOBODY under the age of 18 should be allowed. If the can't legally smoke they should not be vapeing. Minors vaping is one of the reasons the FDA is about to drop a big hammer on the industry. Shame on anybody who allows it.

When I was under 18 I wasn't "allowed" to smoke or drink or do a LOT of things that I did a lot. And I was one of the good kids. There was a lot I DIDN'T do that I very well could have. It's the same mentality as denying teenagers condoms. No one wants kids to have sex but they are gonna do it and I'd sure as hell buy my kid condoms if they asked rather than risk them getting a disease that could potentially kill them or saddle them with their own kid at 16.

And not to get off track but if you honestly think the FDA wanting to regulate vaping has much at all to do with THE BABIES!!!!11 then I have some ocean front property in Arizona I'd loooove to show you.

 

[Elizabeth Baldwin]

This is a very touchy subject. It's easy to say no on a forum, but if you smelled cigarettes on your teen you might reconsider the notion. I'd much rather see my teen vaping than smoking. I'd encourage neither, but we all know teens will try and do things. I'm lucky because none of my kids wanted to... And now that they are grown, well 2 are grown and in college, and 1 10 year old at home, my daughter says she tried smoking once but she hated it. Thank God she hated it.

As a responsible parent, I wouldn't want my teenager doing anything but I'd consider it if I knew for sure they were addicted to cigs it is a better choice.

Those who say they wouldn't: so, if you caught your teen smoking or smelled cigs on them? What would you do? Ignore it? I've seen teens gathering in bathrooms at schools to smoke... You can't watch them 24/7. It's the same concept as a condom... If you knew your teen was sexually active would you ignore it or give them a condom to avoid an unwanted pregnancy or disease? Sure, you could ground them but you can't keep a teen locked up forever! As soon as they get freedom they will do it again. I've taught mine from an early age to sustain from sex, drugs, tobacco and bad things. I actually raised some fine young adults if I must say so myself. But if I knew they were doing something I would have dealt with it in a smart way that reduced risk with a good educational lesson to boot.

 

[-mj01-]

NOBODY under the age of 18 should be allowed. If the can't legally smoke they should not be vapeing. Minors vaping is one of the reasons the FDA is about to drop a big hammer on the industry. Shame on anybody who allows it.

I'm torn and a bit disturbed on the issue overall. On one hand, I do not want my kids to smoke, vape, or whatever. However, the reality is that I personally began smoking around the beginning of my teen years.

My parents caught me smoking and let's be honest - grounding did not work, as that was their initial reaction. I smoked right through it - smoking on the way to school, while taking the dog for a walk, when they left the house (they couldn't watch me 24 hours a day and I knew it).

After catching me again, they "beat" me - still not a deterrent. My mother being a nurse by trade, brought home pictures of cancerous lungs and told many a story of people suffering and dying from smoking. I didn't flinch.

What else did they do... let's see, they forced me to eat my remaining cigs. I only had three left that they could find, did it standing on my head. My step-father made me eat a bit of his "chew" - no biggie. I puked, then smoked in front of him, per his request. They attempted to "embarrass" me by making me tell my grandparents or by bringing it up in front of my friends - as if that was going to do anything.

My point - for me, it didn't matter if I was going to be "allowed". I was a teen - bullet proof, all knowing, and bullheaded.

We have six kids between my wife and I. Honestly, depending on which kid came to me saying "Dad, I smoke or vape or whatever"... would depend on how I'd handle it. I'm no longer so bullheaded and closed minded as to say I'd not "allow" vaping or support it. I also cannot say I'd happily approve.

 

[K_Tech]

I wasn't allowed by my parents to smoke, drink, or engage in other more legally questionable activities when I was a youngster.

I tried my first cigarette while in elementary school. I was buying cigarettes, alcohol, and engaging in other activities while a high school student. I don't believe that things are much different nowadays, even with tighter regulations and restrictions.

Like the OP, I have no children, but I do have a niece and a nephew that I adore. I would hate to think of either of them smoking cigarettes, but I think if cigarettes became an ongoing problem with either of them, I'd rather see them vaping instead of smoking.

 

[Cool-breeze]

NOBODY under the age of 18 should be allowed. If the can't legally smoke they should not be vapeing. Minors vaping is one of the reasons the FDA is about to drop a big hammer on the industry. Shame on anybody who allows it.

I have to somewhat disagree. I say somewhat because my idealistic side wants to agree you should be an adult/ be legal about it. But the law is a funny thing. For example in TX if I'm out to dinner with my 17 yr old daughter (which I don't have) she can legally have a beer as long as she stays in my presence and I (her parent/ legal guardian) pay for it. While it's kind of comparing apples and oranges I feel buying a teen alcohol (under legal situations) would be more debatable than a liquid that may or may not contain nicotine. I certainly don't advocate teens having either but I also dislike society attempting to make arbitrary rules and micromanaging other peoples life.

 

[crxess]

-0- Nic = No tobacco product

Vaping Gear is being used by more than just Ex-smokers or those trying to quit. People use the same type of gear to aid in weight loss and those use flavored liquids with -0- nic as food substitutes.

**I wonder if the FDA even considered that aspect of vaping**
Highly unlikely they even care.

 

[Kellin]

So, parent of an 18 year old college-bound athlete here. He utterly despises cigarette smoking (he grew up in a smoking household) and has worked tirelessly on (read here "annoyed the snot out of") everyone he knows who smokes to quit or switch to vaping ever since one of his close friends switched to vaping about 6 months ago. He carries a cheap eGo full of 0 nic liquid around with him for folks to try and can give a better speech on cigarettes vs. vaporizers than I can. He's switched nearly all of his smoking friends, several of their parents, most of his co-workers, a few of our relatives and my husband and I over to vaping and I never get the chance to PIF anything since he's already given it away by the time I think about it. Since he never smoked cigarettes he doesn't sit around and vape constantly like his converts do, but he does vape and I have ordered him 0 nic bottles of liquid along with my orders when he has asked for them. (I did don my flame ......ant suit before posting that, BTW - even though he is 18 and can legally buy his own.)

I won't say I'm thrilled about him vaping but I have to say it is impressive the number of people he has talked into switching and yes, I'd rather he vape 0 nic with his friends occasionally than any number of bad habits he could pick up (like junk food, smoking, drugs, drinking, coffee, etc). He will also tell you flat out that it is orders of magnitude easier for an underage teen to buy a pack of cigarettes or tin of smokeless from a convenience store or even smoke at a hookah bar than get an eGo and liquid from a B&M. And he completely cracks up at the "for the children" argument - his reply is always "So let's talk about the health benefits of Happy Meals."

 

[Bunnykiller]

no, I would give him my used stuff....

 

[-mj01-]

So, parent of an 18 year old college-bound athlete here. He utterly despises cigarette smoking (he grew up in a smoking household) and has worked tirelessly on (read here "annoyed the snot out of") everyone he knows who smokes to quit or switch to vaping ever since one of his close friends switched to vaping about 6 months ago. He carries a cheap eGo full of 0 nic liquid around with him for folks to try and can give a better speech on cigarettes vs. vaporizers than I can. He's switched nearly all of his smoking friends, several of their parents, most of his co-workers, a few of our relatives and my husband and I over to vaping and I never get the chance to PIF anything since he's already given it away by the time I think about it. Since he never smoked cigarettes he doesn't sit around and vape constantly like his converts do, but he does vape and I have ordered him 0 nic bottles of liquid along with my orders when he has asked for them. (I did don my flame ......ant suit before posting that, BTW - even though he is 18 and can legally buy his own.)

I won't say I'm thrilled about him vaping but I have to say it is impressive the number of people he has talked into switching and yes, I'd rather he vape 0 nic with his friends occasionally than any number of bad habits he could pick up (like junk food, smoking, drugs, drinking, coffee, etc). He will also tell you flat out that it is orders of magnitude easier for an underage teen to buy a pack of cigarettes or tin of smokeless from a convenience store or even smoke at a hookah bar than get an eGo and liquid from a B&M. And he completely cracks up at the "for the children" argument - his reply is always "So let's talk about the health benefits of Happy Meals."

Sounds like you raised yourself a fine young man! VERY well done.

 

[Kellin]

Sounds like you raised yourself a fine young man! VERY well done.

I'm pretty proud of him.

 

[baseballmom]

My son doesn't smoke, he's a teen, would I buy him a vape kit or liquids-well if he was smoking regularly and addicted-yeah probably 3 or 6 mg max, I would highly consider, he knows I've smoked since I was a teen, he's seen my attempts to quit in past-cold turkey while pregnant with youngest was successful due to pregnancy, but he saw me return, he saw patches/gum as unsuccessful too-he's seen vape work. He plays baseball, and the reality is steroids and pain killer abuse is an issue where we live-I find vape to be the lesser of all evils in our area honestly(actually haven't seen a local teen vape), but of course, I would prefer he not do it or chew either. If he goes to a party and ever drinks(hey it's another reality), he's to call us for a ride, not drive or go with someone who has been drinking. We also don't let him drink a bunch of Monster energy drinks either...we try our best, and want him to make wise decisions, not always gonna happen, but when we can, we try to take the lesser harm route. And on other hand, he leaves my vape supplies alone and hasn't snuck anything either.

I've seen more lives destroyed by drunk driving and other substances than vape could ever do, yes lost 2 schoolmates dead to a drunk driver and driving intoxicated themselves-and our area lost some football players due to prescr. pills, hence why I may come across as more lenient leaning towards vaping

 

[CabinetGuyScott]

Yup, in a heart-beat.

I started at 13, did all the sneaky stuff, avoided events & people that I now dearly miss, lied endlessly, hid in shame, etc etc etc.

Make the healthier choice harder to get, and you force them to the easily gotten cigarettes.

No age restriction law or program has ever been proven to be effective. It just challenges their 'creativity' and makes the prohibited products all the more rewarding when they 'beat the system'.

Logic & reason have no place in the conversation when it all comes to the cliche of protect the children.

 

[Baditude]

Check you local & state laws. In Ohio you must be 18 to use an e-cigarette. It is against the law for a parent (or any adult) to purchase an e-cig for underage children, including their own. Penalty is a huge fine and possible jail time.