Parents Against Vaping e-cigarettes: YOUTH VAPING: THE FACTS Our kids were targeted by an industry. Social media marketing. Youthful launch parties and ad campaigns. Paid influencers. Fruit and candy flavors. Bright colors. Unfounded health claims. Unsurprisingly, many ecigarette companies have deep ties with tobacco corporations. It's probably worse than you think. More than a quarter of Most kids who vape would Many kids don't think vaping high school kids vape. never have smoked is harmful, or don't think e- 5,700 new youth start cigarettes, though kids who cigarettes contain nicotine. every day. Almost always vape are then twice as likely Many contain the amount of with a flavored product. to start smoking. 1-2 packs of cigarettes! Vaping is not safe for teens. It has been found to harm the immune system, lungs, heart and developing brain. It causes the sometimes-fatal lung injury EVALI, which has hospitalized 2,800 people. Vaping is highly addictive due to nicotine "salts" which hit the body quickly and make vape aerosol deceptively smooth to inhale. It also seems to cause seizures by nicotine poisoning. E-cigarettes can carry many toxic chemicals, heated to extremely high temperatures before being inhaled. Some include formaldehyde and heavy metals like lead and arsenic. Some have been found to cause cancer. Current legislation is not enough. Thousands of sweet, fruity and candy flavored products are still available, including inexpensive disposables and refillables. Purchase age is not always enforced, online or in stores Would you recognize popular vapes? WWW.PARENTSAGAINSTVAPING.ORG Recognize the signs. Secrecy, closed doors, frequent excuses to use Changes in sleeping patterns the bathroom or go outside. Raspy cough, increased lung infections, A sweet smell, or the use of candles or incense chest pain, shortness of breath, pneumonia to mask it. Heightened caffeine sensitivity, jitteriness Colorful plastic caps, USB- or highlighter-like Anxiety, irritability, mood swings, anger devices. Changes in eating habits, nausea, Dry mucous membranes: drinking more, gastrointestinal issues, weight loss, feeling craving salt or spice, nosebleeds, mouth sores "nic sick" You can make a difference. Don't smoke or vape yourself. Talk to your child often, starting as early as nine. Speak to the facts and don't exaggerate. You don't need to, and you can undermine your credibility. Be clear that you disapprove. This is not a one-time conversation, and it is not a lecture. Try for supportive, two-way conversations. Ask questions about what your child knows and sees. If you find out your child is vaping, try your best to keep from getting angry or accusatory. Remember that our kids were targeted. This may be very normal for them, and they may not think it's harmful. Join our PAVe parent movement as an education or advocacy volunteer! Help is available. If you're struggling with a child who is addicted or using e-cigarettes, you're not alone. You may want to speak with your pediatrician or a school counselor. The Partnership for Drug-Free Kids has a free one-on-one support hotline. Quit resources exist for kids, with supportive services for adults. Truth Initiative's "This is Quitting" is one app-based teen quitting program. Impactful school-based programs also exist for prevention, like those from Stanford Tobacco Prevention and CATCH.org. Get involved, get in touch, and find these and other resources on our web page. You can also stay connected with us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. WWW.PARENTSAGAINSTVAPING.ORG
