WHAT ABOUT YOUTH VAPING?

It is against the law to sell nicotine products to anyone under 18 years of age: Minors should not vape. In fact, nobody who doesn’t already smoke should use vapor products.

They are designed specifically as an harm reduction alternative for adult smokers. Vaping provides an effective pathway away from addiction. It does not lead to smoking.

As vapor products have gained wider acceptance, use among minors has unfortunately increased as well. While no level of youth vaping is acceptable, there is no widespread “epidemic” and absolutely no evidence to suggest vaping encourages cigarette smoking.

As responsible players in the vapor technology industry we are willing to work with regulators and support legislation to help keep these age-restricted products out of the hands of youth. Our members adopted strict marketing standards , age verification in store and for online sales, to keep vapor products away from minors. Anyone who advertises or sells to kids should be punished to the fullest extent of the law. If you’re a parent, talk to your children about vaping.

What Are the Risks for Teens Who Vape?

While it might be true that vaping is less dangerous than smoking cigarettes because the vaped aerosols have fewer toxic and cancer-causing chemicals than cigarette smoke, the aerosol from vaping is not harmless. It still contains Nicotine, which is highly addictive and can: slow brain development in teens and affect memory, concentration, learning, self-control, attention, and mood. It can also increase the risk of other types of addiction later in life.

How Do I Know If My Teen Is Vaping?

Unlike cigarettes, which come in standard shapes and have a distinct smell, e-cigarettes are harder to detect. Some vaping devices look like everyday objects such as USB drives, watches, pens, and markers. Keep an eye out for parts such as refill pods that contain the vape juice, atomizers, batteries, and chargers. Most children prefer sweet-flavored vapes. Catching fruit or candylike smells could be evidence of vaping. Vaping also makes users’ mouths dry, causing your teen to drink more than usual. If your child is an athlete and starts having trouble breathing, it also could be due to vaping. Other signs of vaping may include headache, nausea, unexplained cough, throat clearing or dizziness.

What Can Parents Do to Help Prevent Teens From Vaping?

If you are a parent of a school-aged child, it is likely that your child has been exposed to youth-targeted vaping ads. Your child is also likely to know someone, even a friend, who vapes. Talk to your child early about vaping and the facts about nicotine addiction. If you need assistance on advice you are free to contact us at the Vape Association of Trinidad and Tobago. We would be glad to help.

What Can Parents Do If Their Teen Is Addicted to Vaping?

Quitting vaping is just as hard as quitting smoking. If you are concerned that your teen is addicted to vaping, it is important to know that there are several treatment options. Talk to your pediatrician about counseling from an addiction specialist and medications that can help treat nicotine addiction.

Please reach us at info@vapett.org if you cannot find an answer to your question.

WHAT ABOUT YOUTH VAPING?

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