Pastoral care
Vaping: How to Support my Child if they are Vaping
Although advertising and peers can heavily influence your teen’s decisions, the impact you have as a parent, carries enormous weight. Research has found that parental involvement and a positive outlook can make a significant difference in healthy decisionmaking, both now and in the future.
Take a Health Approach
If you discover that your teen is vaping, address it as you would any other risk to your child’s health. Try to resist the urge to lecture, yell or punish your child. It is important to keep the lines of communication open and show your child that you are concerned about their health and safety.
Although purchasing vapes containing nicotine without a prescription is illegal in Australia, many vapes labelled as nicotine-free do contain nicotine. Your child may need support to stop vaping as nicotine is very addictive. The more your child vapes, the more both the brain and body will get used to having nicotine, and the harder it is to go without it. When a person stops vaping, even for a short period, they can experience withdrawal, including strong cravings, irritability, fatigue, headache, sleeplessness and difficulty concentrating.
Conversation Starters
Make sure your child recognises how much you care about them and that the conversation is coming from a place of unconditional love, support and concern for their wellbeing. Use the conversation starters below to understand if your child may be continuing to vaping to avoid withdrawal symptoms.
- Do you continue to vape even though you want to stop or think it’s hurting you in some way?
- Do you feel anxious or irritable when you want to use your vape but can’t?
- Do thoughts about vaping interrupt you when you are focused on other activities?
- Do you vape at school? How often?
- Have you ever tried to stop vaping but couldn’t?
- Do you feel like you have lost control over your vaping?
Support to Quit Vaping
Mr Leon Robinson - Leader of Pastoral Care
leon.robinson@lism.catholic.edu.au
0401 166 415
02 6562 7200