VAPING FACTSTALKING TO TEENSQUIT TIPS
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Teens are exposed to vaping through all sorts of ways: friends, social media, ads, and more. Whether or not your teen has experimented with vaping, talking with them is your best tool. Giving them good information can help them make good decisions.Your teen is 50% less likely to use substances like nicotine when you talk to them early and often.14    Open-ended conversations let them know they can come to you with questions.

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Conversation Guide

My teen is vaping. What do I do?

Don’t panic. No matter how tough it feels, our list of proven quitting resources are made specifically for teens and parents of teens who are vaping. There are even quit programs designed for parents to help their teens by quitting together. Take a look to see which resource is best for your family.
What kind of conversation is best for my teen?

Choose your conversation based on where your teen is at. For teens that have never tried vaping, try having a landscape-setting conversation: What vapes are, and why they’re risky. For teen experimenters who may feel vaping is “no big deal,” it’s important to correct misinformation and discuss health harms. For teens who are occasional or regular vape users, a conversation about quitting takes priority.

Ready to talk? Try these tips

Create a Positive
Environment

1

Try to avoid announcing “the talk” or lecturing your teen. Instead, look for ways you can work your concerns into everyday conversations. Car rides or walks are great places to try this.

2

Take a deep breath, go for a walk, or stretch if you’re upset. A calm chat will get you further.

Show You’re
Listening

1

Ask them questions about things they say to you. Repeat what you’re hearing back to them.

2

Don’t cut the conversation short. Give your teen space to say everything they need to.

Be Supportive,
Not Critical

1

Express concern, not judgement, where needed. Instead of saying you’re “disappointed” in them try saying you are “worried” about them.

2

Address peer pressure. Brainstorm real-life situations with your teen where they might encounter vaping, and talk about ways they could handle them.

Focus
on Facts

1

Good, factual information is more effective than scare tactics. Give your teen good reasons to avoid vaping.

2

Keep your words and body language relaxed and neutral.

Set a Good
Example

1

If someone in the family vapes, like a parent or an older sibling, try talking with them about limiting their use around your teen.

2

Be patient. You were a teen once. Try not to get frustrated with your teen, or yourself. It might take a few tries to get through to them, and that’s okay.

Talk Guide for Parents

Download the
conversation guide

Questions to
ask your teen

Are you familiar with vapes?
WHAT HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT VAPING FROM FRIENDS?
Do you know what’s in vapes?
Do you know how vaping can harm your health?
How does vaping make you feel?

Questions your
teen might ask you

WHY DON’T YOU WANT ME TO VAPE?
What’s so bad about vaping?
Isn’t vaping safer than smoking cigarettes?
You smoked, so why shouldn’t I?
How do I say no to my friends if they offer me vapes?
Quitting Resources

Finding out your teen is vaping can feel overwhelming, especially if they are already struggling with nicotine addiction. Don’t panic. There are support options for both you and your teen. By taking action now, you can keep their future bright.

How do I talk to my teen about quitting?

First things first: Establishing a positive tone and environment. Breaking the ice is often the hardest part, so try to keep it casual. Use facts, not opinions (after all, no one likes to feel judged). For example, “There’s too much we don’t yet know about vaping. Even vaping once in a while isn’t worth the risk.” Let them know they can come to you for anything: help, advice, support. Trust is fundamental to quit talk success.

Quit Tactics that Work

Even when it feels difficult, quitting IS possible. Check out these tactics for quitting, and actually staying quit.

Identify
Triggers

Talk with your teen about their reasons for vaping. Are there certain things, like stress or social pressure, that make them more likely to vape? Brainstorm healthy ways to deal with those pressures that don’t involve vaping.

Make a
Quit Plan

Setting specific, quantifiable goals is the best way to keep your teen accountable. Make specific plans for how to deal with identified triggers. Set a quit date to work towards.

Keep Your Eye
on the Prize

Beating a nicotine addiction is hard, and slipping up is normal. If your teen hits a setback, have an open conversation about it. Don’t scrap your quit plan, just adjust it so it fits your lives. Keep identifying triggers and figuring out new solves. Quitting vaping sets your teen up for a healthier future. It’s worth the effort.

my life, my quit tm

Let’s Talk Vaping recommends the My Life, My Quit™ program. It’s a free and confidential service for people under 18 who want to quit all forms of tobacco and vaping. My Life, My Quit™ includes resources for parents who want to take an active role in their teen’s quit journey.

When your teen enrolls, they’ll receive:

  • Access to Tobacco Cessation Coaches with specialized training in adolescent tobacco prevention.
  • Five, one-on-one coaching sessions, usually scheduled every 7–10 days. Coaching helps teens develop a quit plan, identify triggers, practice refusal skills, and receive ongoing support for changing behaviors.
  • Coaches available by phone, by text message or by online chat.
  • Self-help and educational materials designed for teens, with input from teens.
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THIS IS QUITTINGtm

Another great resource, This is Quitting™ is a free mobile program designed to help young people quit vaping. Its messages show the real side of quitting, both the good and the bad, to help young people feel motivated, inspired and supported throughout their quitting process. It also sends young people evidence-based tips and strategies to quit and stay quit. This is Quitting™ is tailored based on age (13–24) and product usage to give teens and young adults appropriate recommendations about quitting.

Teens can text DITCHJUUL to 88709 to get started‍
‍

Get Started

Let’s Talk Vaping provides adults with the vaping information they need to support youth to resist vaping, or quit if they’re already using.

This publication was supported by the Nevada State Division of Public and Behavioral Health. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the Division.

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SOURCES

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