1. Be open and non-judgmental

As they get older, most kids get curious about substances. The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare National Drug Strategy Household Survey 2019 found that the overwhelming majority of young people who vape— 72.3% — said they tried e-cigarettes out of curiosity.

Being open is a good way to address that curiosity. Sometimes, the more taboo an activity is, the more exciting and mysterious it can seem. Casual, open conversations can make the taboo a little more boring. Chat to your kids about vaping and whether their friends are doing it (and don’t demonise them if the answer is yes!). Ask them what seems attractive about vapes and try to understand their perspective. It will help you identify the most effective path to prevention.

Obviously, you should also talk to them about the health risks associated with vaping, but make it clear they can always come to you for help even if they make decisions they don’t think you’ll like.

Here are some resources for parents and carers from the NSW Department of Health to help you prepare for the conversation.

2. Model behaviour

If you smoke or vape already, try not to do it around your kids. Once your child is old enough, you’re probably not going to be able to hide it anymore, so be honest with them about the regrets you might have about taking up smoking in the first place. If you’re vaping as an alternative to smoking, make sure it’s clear to your kids that just because vaping is safer than smoking, that doesn’t mean it’s safe, and that you would prefer not to do it at all.

If you’re using e-cigarettes to quit smoking under a doctor’s supervision, consider taking your child along to an appointment so they can ask questions and learn to see the vape as a medical device they don’t have a need for.

3. Empower your child to make choices 

The best way to prevent your child from taking up vaping is to give them the information they need to make choices. It’s tempting to think you’ll be able to monitor your child into compliance through hypervigilance, but you cannot watch your child every moment of their life.

Teens are generally encountering vapes frequently in their everyday life. Data gathered by the Generation Vape research project shows that most teens (70%), didn’t buy a vape directly, but used one belonging to a friend. Of the 30% who did purchase a vape, almost half bought it from a friend or other acquaintance, while 31% bought it from a shop like a petrol station, tobacconist, or convenience store. Some others are buying vapes on social media or other websites. Many of the e-cigarettes circulating in Australia are ‘black market’, unregulated illegal products, which makes it more complicated for us to keep them out of the hands of minors.

The reality is, unless you’re with your child through their entire school day, they’re probably going to encounter opportunities to vape, even if they’re not paying for it directly. Make sure you’ve given them the information they need to make decisions they’ll be happy with. 

4. Seek help from a professional

If you’re concerned about your child, talk to a professional. They can help you understand the evidence-based approaches and support services available to you. Some ideas to get started are:

• Quitline: 13 7848 (13 QUIT)
  • Aboriginal Quitline: Also 13 7848, but ask to speak to an Aboriginal Quitline counsellor
• Your GP
• Our counsellors at Counselling Online — start a webchat now!

You can also check out these ideas to help your teen quit vaping from the Melbourne Centre for Behaviour Change.