To go bananas having seen my 15 year old vaping

[whatdoidoherenow]

What would you do?
I'm kore sad than angry .
Would you ground them?

@NeverDropYourMooncup well I really don’t know about all that, but it’s generally less addictive

@ShadyPaws it's illegal to buy vapes if you are under 18, so most teens won't be getting them legally

Not in my experience, but I am sure it can happen. Me and most of my friends smoked as teenagers, today none of us do and haven’t since we were in our 20s. I also think that a lot of the vape liquids don’t actually contain nicotine. At least the ones my DS used to smoke didn’t, he just didn’t realise.

I would be going bananas too! The health impact of these highly addictive vapes is unknown. I can’t believe that more isn’t being done to address the issue in teens. The UKSA messaging is totally irresponsible. https://www.rcpch.ac.uk/nations/scotland/childrens-doctors-call-outright-ban-disposable-e-cigarettes-in-scotland

I agree. Or to address the issue at all. I stopped smoking and started vaping and it's do much harder to stop vaping. I feel like I will be addicted to nicotine forever. I wish they would ban disposables and take a more prescriptive approach.

I’ve already preemptively explained the riot act that will occur if I see my kids doing similar. They are not of the age yet but I’m getting in there as early as possible so they categorically know my feelings on it. Zero equivocation which is how I justified the shit I did as a late teen. Then it’s up to them and the consequences will follow.

Tbh I wouldn't go bananas. It won't make a difference. I would talk to them about the health risks and then also about harm reduction and how it is really really important to only get the cartridges from a reliable source due to the cases of popcorn lung with dodgy vape liquid.

They are not going to stop just because you've gone ape shit and you'll make it more likely they won't tell you about things.

Developmentally teenagers need to break free from parents. If you condone it they will likely find something else to break free from you. Perhaps you can be disappointed at them succumbing to peer pressure. Maybe point out issues like popcorn lung and refuse to tolerate it at home. They will think they are secretly doing it and going against you and you are protecting them from worse things.

My mum allowed my sisters to smoke in the house after relenting when they started at around 11 or 12. Before long it was like Stars in Their Eyes as they and their blokes all smoked all day. She died young at 54 of lung cancer never having smoked herself.

Be careful what you start as you will likely be unable to stop it later.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nicotine-vaping-in-england-2022-evidence-update/nicotine-vaping-in-england-2022-evidence-update-summary

About 8% of 11-15 year olds vape. It’s not anything like most.

Best way to turn your child into a thief.

Force the child to sit with you and watch videos about it fucking kids up: here https://www.lung.org/blog/teen-vaping-dangers-documentary

and also I’d tell a 15yo to shake their ideas up - presumably s/he is going into Y11? Doesn’t s/he care about GCSEs? I’d say straight out that I thought s/he was a lazy fuckwit and that I was ashamed. To really ram it all home and shock them, rather than to be abusive.

Are you going to explain the importance of making sure their coke isn’t laced with rat poison when you find out they’ve also been snorting a line off the toilet in the ladies?

That start fires.

https://amp.theguardian.com/society/2023/may/13/single-use-vapes-sparking-surge-in-fires-at-uk-waste-plants

Had a super quick look at the methodology for this. % arrived upon by conflating data from 2 surveys with different age ranges and criteria. Be interested in how these surveys took place, how participants were recruited and whether they relied on teens ‘fessing’ up. I don’t think all teens vape regularly. But a damn sight more than 8% of the teens that I know have vaped occasionally at parties and motives etc. Anecdotally - based on a pretty representative set of 15 and 16yos - I would say it’s closer to 70%

I'd be mad and I'd tell them what a fucking idiot they were, and the dangers of it, but I don't think I'd go "bananas", it's not my style. Ultimately if teens are determined to do something, they'll find a way.

The "it's better than cigarettes" brigade can get lost too! In many ways, vaping is worse, as many teens who would never touch a cigarette start vaping because they think it's "harmless".

i think it puts oil in your blood as well. This is gross but I get spots over my arms and top of my back. It didn’t happen when I smoked. When I stop vaping it goes away

This! I certainly wasn’t at that age and neither were my friends.

id be angry too OP and look at consequences for sure but also maybe make sure they get the help they need as it may be a reaction to something else going on in their lives

How do you prevent a 15 year old from having money? They need to eat, buy clothes etc... And since a lot of places are cashless, they need bank accounts with debit cards.

@OceanicBoundlessness I just wouldn’t give them money. They can take a packed lunch to school. That would be the consequence of my teenager vaping. Maybe when some trust was rebuilt I would let them use my spare bank card to go out so I can see what they’re spending

Id be furious too. I have a 16 and a 17 year old. I don’t know if they vape. I’ve not found/seen evidence of it but they had a party a few weeks ago in the garden. There were 25 odd friends there and nearly all of them were vaping. When I drop my eldest at college there are dozens vaping outside. I woukd definitely restrict money. I smoked from about 13 and my mum used to completely lose the plot every time she caught me. I finally gave up smoking for good when I fell pregnant in my thirties. For all of her shouting and grounding and walloping me I never stopped.

How to excuse shitty parenting isn't it, is it okay if your kids do coke after all its all rebellion.

You really are a clueless parent.

It's really easy, they can eat at home , they can wear clothes. That are bought.

They want all these thingsthey aren't needs.

ConnieTucker · Today 18:16
HappiDaze · Today 18:13

It's annoying but at that age they're all at it

“They're really not all at it at all.”

This. It’s just easy for some lazy people to tell themselves that it is.

Not unreasonable at all, OP. I’d not allow any access to money for the foreseeable future. Vaping is horribly addictive and (as the very least) pretty bad for you. Those condoning it because “everyone else does it” are as bad as the ridiculous teenagers who think that blames others excuses any kind of poor behaviour.

Those condoning it because “everyone else does it” are as bad as the ridiculous teenagers who think that blames others excuses any kind of poor behaviour.

As my mother used to say, 'If X told you to put your head in the fire, would you do it?'