I have a teenage son and right now vaping is one of our biggest concerns. As a parent, we don’t know yet the long or short term affects of vaping, using Juul pods, e-cigarettes or high levels of nicotine. I have done my research and wanted to share what I have learned, from one parent to another facing this same potential epidemic that is happening in high schools around the world.
Vaping is a man-made chemical that is affecting children as young as middle school. We know now that cigarettes cause cancer and other illnesses, but we don’t know what happens to the brain yet when having large levels of nicotine. I know most want to promote it because it’s extremely profitable for the companies and individuals dealing. However, the long-term affect could cause major damages in a young brain.
One in every five students are vaping in high school. That means your teen has either tried it, about to tried it or vaping routinely. As a parent, you need to know what you are up against. Plus, how to prevent it or fix it for your child. I can’t express enough how bad this is for the kids and their parents but don’t live in denial, face it and help your teens!
The side effects of vaping are the following:
- Dry mouth – is your teen drinking a lot more?
- Dizziness and headaches – your teen have a routine headache?
- Coughing a lot more? – this is a side effect
- Dry skin – your teen complaining and itching their skin?
- Sudden nosebleeds?
- Dry eyes – watery eyes that are dry
- Insomnia – struggling to go to bed and sleeping soundly
- Grades tank -struggling in school to focus
Because teens that try vaping will most likely start smoking tobacco routinely and then potentially keep experiencing with different type of drugs for the next high. Nicotine causes a buzz among these teens and that is why they keep doing it. One Juul pod is equal to ONE pack of cigarettes and some teens are doing three or four Juuls a day. That is so scary as a parent, they are killing themselves without even realizing the side effects!!
We had to take measures of punishment for our son to understand that vaping was not tolerated. He is an athlete and needed to understand what vaping does to his body and mind. I made him read about vaping and tobacco and write three essays to understand the side effects. He was also not allowed to drive and had no phone. Slowly, he is getting his driving privileges back and his phone, one day at a time. I hate to say it, but we check his school backpack every morning and every night. As a parent, you do the best you can however, when it comes to their health well, do want you have to, to help your teen. This is a serious issue and one that parents need to be aware of.
We are not perfect parents, but we stay involved and talk with other parents and try to stay on top of the vaping epidemic. Our son is young and immature and vaping to him is “being cool” at school and that is hard to tackle as a parent. Try and dissect why they want to do it and support your teen in understanding why it’s important not to do it. It’s not about judging your kid but to support and help them understand why and to coach them how to manage it at school, how to say no. How to put their energies into academics, sports and other activities. Encourage them to hang around other teens that don’t want to be influenced by drugs and choose not to vape.
Teenagers and vaping are bad and we parents have to help each other. Please share your tips and advice with me, I would love to hear it! Other parents would too.