As of 2025, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 1.63 million (or 5.9 %) of middle and high school students use e-cigarettes, also known as vapes. As a parent, it can be difficult to know when and how to have “the talk” with your child about using addictive substances like tobacco. Read on to learn more about why it’s important to have this conversation and the best place to start.
What Makes Vaping & Cigarettes Appealing to Teens?
Teens are attracted to vaping, e-cigarettes, cigarettes, and nicotine pouches for a number of reasons, ranging from the way the products are marketed to the stressors in their life. However, the CDC states that none of these products that have tobacco in them are safe, especially for teenagers and young adults under 25 years old, as it can impact their brain development.
Today, many students who use vapes and e-cigarettes, as well as cigarettes, report doing so because they feel stressed, depressed, or anxious. Influences from their friends, role models, and other people who they respect in their lives can also play a role. The CDC also reports that flavored e-cigarette cartridges are a big appeal for kids to start using tobacco products.
Facts to Touch on While Talking to Your Teen About Vaping
Whether you know your teen currently vapes or smokes cigarettes, or even if you don’t think they would ever touch nicotine, it’s always a good idea to bring up the dangers of using tobacco products to help them be more inform. Here are a few topics and facts to bring up during this conversation to help them understand how vaping can impact their health and development:
- There’s a lot of misinformation out there stating that e-cigarettes don’t have nicotine in them. However, that’s simply not true. Nicotine is an addictive substance that’s in vaping cartridges. It’s not just “flavored water vapor.”
- If your child is currently vaping, ask them what made them start. If it’s because of stressors in their life, anxiety, or depression, they may require other resources and assistance to build healthier coping skills.
- Avoid judgement and frustration while speaking with your child about vaping. Your tone can cause them to tune out and act defensively because they feel blamed or like they’re in trouble.
- Find the right place and time to talk about vaping. It’s best to do so in a calm and neutral setting and area, and at a time that doesn’t make the conversation feel confrontational or accusatory.
- Talk to them about the impacts nicotine can have on their health, like an increased risk of health problems like oral cancer, heart attacks and strokes, blood clots, and impacting their brain development.
- Due to the lithium batteries in vapes, it’s possible that they can explode, causing bodily harm. Although rare, it is a possibility.
How You Can Support Your Teen While They Quit Vaping
At the end of the day, if your child is vaping, using nicotine patches, or smoking cigarettes, they will need help and resources to quit. The primary resource will be your support! They may experience a number of withdrawal symptoms due to tobacco usage that can be scary and difficult to overcome without knowing what to expect. Some resources that you can connect them with are:
- Your family primary care physician, who can educate them about what to expect and direct them to other resources that you might not know about or have access to.
- Free online resources, like teen.smokefree.gov, created by the National Cancer Institute.
- Encouraging them to have a candid discussion with other respected professionals in their lives, like their pediatric dentist in Hinsdale.
Showing your teen that you’ll be right by their side and encouraging them to make the best decisions for their health and happiness can go a long way in solidifying trust in your relationship with them. And, with the help of other experts and respected adults in their lives, you can set them up for success!
About the Practice
At Brush Pediatric Dentistry, our team is comprised of six highly skilled pediatric dental specialists with several decades of collective experience. Committed to providing high-quality comprehensive dental care to patients up to 18 years old, our dentists are excellent at meeting teens where they are and helping them build healthy habits that can serve them into adulthood. For questions or to schedule an appointment, visit Brush Pediatric Dentistry’s website or call 630-504-2223.