16 year old wants to vape

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D’s is 16 and some of his friends vape so naturally he wants to as well.
He wants to go into town today and purchase one with his friends.
I have told him that at 16 I can’t tell him what to do but as his mum it would be negligent of me not to advise him of the potential health risks. We have sat down and looked on various websites (such as lung charities, NHS site etc) and have looked at the potential short and long term health risks and that vaping is fairly new and the long term health risks are not fully known as yet.
But all hell has broken loose, he’s stormed off in a strop, saying he wishes I wasn’t one of those mums who ‘looked’ everything up and I have now ruined his day and he may as well not have a life!
I’ve tried explaining that it’s my job as his mum to advise him and I just want to keep him safe but at the end of the day it’s up to him as it’s his body but I believe and have always believed in informed choices.
Of course, I am thankful he has come to me, he could (and could still) do this behind my back.
Does anyone else’s teen vape?

Mine doesn't. She thinks it's gross and doesn't understand why others take the risk.

I think you've done all you can, OP. Your DS's annoyance is almost certainly because he knows that you're right and he wishes that you weren't. Hopefully that means he has taken all of the info on board and he'll make better decisions as a result.

They're age restricted 18+ so he shouldn't be able to purchase any and if he does find out where from and report to Trading Standards.
Most, if not all never smoking youths who try vaping are just experimenting. Youth smoking is at record low levels so there's no evidence vapes are a 'gateway' to smoking.

AlexaShutUp He has said that he won’t buy one as he doesn’t want to risk it, I just hope he means that and isn’t going to do it behind my back.

ReginaldMolehusband I haven’t told him this but I already plan to report the shop. All of his friends have purchased from this store and some are only 13. I don’t think he would ever smoke as he finds the smell disgusting but I am concerned of the risks associated with vaping.

My 16yo has told me that vaping is very common amongst her age group, so it seems that it's easy enough for them to buy it. Whether or not it's a gateway to smoking is irrelevant in my view. There are risks inherent in vaping itself.

We can't really control what they choose to do behind our backs, OP. You've given him the information to make a sensible decision, and hopefully he will act on that. I understand your concern. They need a lot of confidence and independence to be able to do their own thing in the face of peer pressure.

My 14 year old has said that others in her year have started vaping. She thinks it's stupid, but I showed her what happens when a vape explodes just in case she fancies trying it.

Why do they do it when they’ve never smoked cigarettes? What’s the point? Everyone I know who vapes is an ex-smoker.

ChrissyPlummer they think it’s cool 🤷‍♀️

@ChrissyPlummer

Why do they do it when they’ve never smoked cigarettes? What’s the point? Everyone I know who vapes is an ex-smoker.

Because vape 'juices' (or whatever they're called) are obviously aimed at young people with the flavours on offer. They know it's a great target market.

ffs exactly and the vapes come in such cool/funky colours too, they are definitely aiming them at youths even though more and more evidence is showing how dangerous vaping is to young people’s health. Some of my dd’s school fiends are vaping and they are only 13/14. My friends son is in year 7 and he says some in his year are doing it, they are only 11/12! It’s the new smoking and it will be years before we know the real cost to their health but whilst these things have flavours like strawberry/banana bubble gum and paradise lagoon crush people will think they are perfectly innocent.

Hi, Firstly I would point out that vaping devices are illegal to be sold to anyone under the age of 18. I am involved in the industry since its very beginning and head up the UKVIA which is the trade association. I work very closely with all relevant bodies in the UK in regards to reducing youth access and the association posts lots of great information on the website. I am also happy to answer questions. Thankfully youth experimentation with vaping devices is still relatively low in this country with only 1less than 1% of your people vaping regularly and most of those were smoking previously. I am however concerned about the rise in the use of disposable vape devices and non-reputatble retails who sell them without age verification. All of the members of my association for instance have a challenge 25 age verification in place and we conduct random covert sales through a 3rd party to test our members are following it. As a parent of two teenagers myself, I know that a certain amount of experimentation is normal and that good communication is key. As for the safety of these products despite what you read in the click bate press vaping is at least 95% less harmful than smoking and while nicotine is addictive it is no more addictive than caffeine. The legal limit for nicotine in vaping devices in the UK is 20mg however most people who vape use only 6mg - 3mg. You hear stories in the press of kids getting nosebleeds etc from nicotine devices. These stories originate from a fake post on tictoc. The MHRA monitors reports of adverse effects of vaping and over the last 5 years, they have had a total of 150 reports almost all of which are minor things like it made me cough or it felt harsh on my throat. NO major incidents have been reported and NO deaths have been related to vaping. You should report any shop selling products illegally to your local trading standards or if it is a vape shop report also report it to the UKVIA. .

@ffscovid The vast majority of people who vape in the UK are between the ages of 30 - 55. Youth vaping numbers in this country are very low.

Youth vaping levels are not 'really low'. All the schools and pupil refer all units I have worked in, a high number of children vape. The majority of who have never smoked a cigarette in their lives. They love making huge vape rings and jumping through them. Buying the vapes with the biggest tanks and comaping niccy levels. It's really lame.

I used an e cig for a few years after stopping smoking, but to these kids it's a hobby, it might as well be a yo-yo or Pokemon cards, only with the added benefit of looking 'bad' in front of their mates.

Jdunne9407 I have reported the shop to trading standards. As miltonj has pointed out, the figure of 1% of youths vaping is too conservative especially if my kids school is anything to go by, which is a standard U.K. secondary in a nice area. Many of the kids there vape, I often collect my dd from this school and lots are vaping as they come out. Very few kids are going to admit to adults that they vape and most parents are unaware (ds looked after his friends vape the other day whilst his mum cleaned his room as he was worried she’d find it!) , these underage teens are usually getting the vapes via older siblings, relatives, friends etc. So I think that figure realistically will be much higher.