Quitting Resources for Teens

What parents need to know about vaping

E-cigarette use, or vaping, is rampant among kids, teens and young adults. These products are not safe for young users, and they are easy to get and conceal.

E-cigarettes are electronic devices that heat a liquid and produce an aerosol or mix of small particles in the air. They come in many shapes and sizes. Most have a battery, a heating element and a place to hold liquid.

E-cigarettes produce aerosol by heating liquid that usually contains nicotine, flavorings and other chemicals. This liquid is sometimes called e-juice, e-liquid, vape juice or vape liquid.

• Parents should know these important facts about e-cigarettes and vaping:
• E-cigarettes are tobacco products. They are not safe for kids, teens or young adults.
• Most e-cigarettes contain nicotine. Nicotine is highly addictive and can harm adolescent brain development, which continues into the early to mid-20s.
• E-cigarettes can contain other harmful substances besides nicotine.
• Young people who use e-cigarettes may be more likely to smoke cigarettes in the future. They are more susceptible to addiction in to other substances as well, because of the changes that nicotine makes to their developing brains.

Although it is illegal for anyone under age 21 to purchase tobacco products, including vaping products, vaping is rampant among preteens and teens.

How can I help my child quit vaping or smoking?

MD Anderson collaborates with the nationally renowned Truth Initiative to offer the EX Program to anyone in Texas ages 13 or older. EX Program is a text-based service that provides free, anonymous, 24/7 support to help people stop using tobacco products, including vapes.

Teens can text VAPEFREETX to 88709 to sign up for the program. Once enrolled, they will receive messages with tips, advice and encouragement to quit vaping.

Support for parents of young people who vape

Parents of young people who use nicotine can join EX Program and learn more about how to help their child quit. EX program includes tips and advice for both parents and young people alike. Learn more about how EX Program supports parents. Your teen does not need to be enrolled in EX Program for you to use this service. 

How can I prevent my child from vaping or smoking?

You can take steps to help your child stay tobacco-free. Research shows that parental attitude is very important when it comes to youth and tobacco use. If a young person believes that his or her parents would be upset if he or she smoked, they are less likely to smoke. Also, the credibility of a parent's message decreases if he or she smokes or uses e-cigarettes. If you use tobacco, it’s never too late to quit. For free help, visit smokefree.gov or call 1-800-QUIT-NOW.

Communicating with your child is important to help them stay tobacco-free. The CDC has information on how to talk to your teen about e-cigarettes.

Try these tips to help the young person in your life make good choices.

• Listen: Don’t do all the talking.
• Educate:  Inform them about the dangers of tobacco.
• Role play: Have them practice what to say if they are asked to use tobacco.
• Teach: Help your kids make wise decisions on their own.

How can I tell if my child is vaping?

It can be hard to tell if your child is vaping. The e-cigarette aerosol may have a mild sweet smell, but it won’t cause the tell-tale smoke smell on clothes, hair or in the air like regular cigarettes. Also, e-cigarettes like JUUL are often small and easy to conceal.

Start by finding out what your child knows about e-cigarettes. Ask them if they see people vaping at school or what their friends are saying about e-cigarettes. See where the conversation goes.

Pay attention to your child's behavior. Kids who vape may talk about feeling irritable or lose their temper easily. Irritability can be a sign that your teen is using nicotine because it’s a stimulant like caffeine. They may be irritable between doses.

Behavioral signs

• Irritability, anxiety, prone to mood change, lack of impulse control
• Difficulty concentrating in school and maybe even slipping grades. If a student is vaping and they are having nicotine withdrawal in class, they may not be paying attention to the teacher but rather thinking of when they can get their next nicotine fix.
• Burning candles or incense, or suddenly using perfume or cologne. This could be an attempt to hide the sweet scent from their e-cigarette.

Physical signs

• Change in eating patterns, accompanied by weight gain or loss
• Mouth sores or irritation around the mouth from being exposed to the chemicals in vapor
• Unexplained nose bleeds
• Increase in thirst because some of the chemicals found in e-liquid can cause dry mouth

Other signs

• Missing phone chargers

What do vape devices look like?

Some e-cigarettes look like regular cigarettes, cigars or pipes. Some look like USB flash drives, pens and other everyday items. Larger devices such as tank systems, or "mods," do not look like other tobacco products. Many of these devices need to be charged, so you may find charging devices that don't look familiar.

Finding unfamiliar objects or devices can be a sign that they may be vaping.

Isn't nicotine a harmless stimulant? Why does it matter if my teen vapes?

Nicotine is not a harmless stimulant. It is a highly addictive toxin.

Nicotine is extremely damaging to developing brains. Using nicotine before age 25 damages the parts of the brain that control attention, learning, mood and impulse control. Using nicotine during this period also makes the brain more susceptible to addiction of all types. These changes last a lifetime.

Many young vapers think that when they vape or JUUL they aren’t consuming nicotine, but most do. One product, JUUL, has as much nicotine on one pod as an entire pack of cigarettes.

Aren't flavored products illegal?

One of the things that makes vaping so appealing to young users is that the products come in a huge array of sweet flavors. The flavor bans enacted in 2020 only apply to closed, pre-filled pods, like JUUL cartridges. The limited flavor ban does not cover disposable e-cigarettes like Puff Bar, Stig and Fogg. Flavors are still allowed and widely available in these disposable products that are cheaper than JUUL.

Is vaping safer than smoking?

E-cigarettes have not been proven as a safe alternative to smoking. The aerosol produced by e-cigarettes has the same harmful toxins found in glue and paint, even if the liquid is labeled as nicotine-free. It is not just water vapor. They also can cause issues similar to cigarette smoking such as coughing, chest pain and a raised heart rate.