The best time to quit vaping is now. Vaping has dramatically increased among teenagers in the past decade. The rise of vaping can be somewhat contributed to the marketing of vaping as a "healthy" alternative to the old death sticks that your grandparents used to smoke.
The truth is, vaping is not cool and it's not healthy. It can be highly addictive. If you are wondering how to break the habit for yourself, or wanting to encourage someone you know to quit, please keep reading.
1. Get Educated
The more you know about vaping, the more power you can have over it. The truth is, smoking is the lead cause of preventable death in the world. The CDC reports that, "Over 16 million Americans are living with a disease caused by smoking". While smoking and vaping aren't necessarily the exact same, they do share overlapping health concerns.
According to a 2019 study, around 50% of teens reported that they have at least tried vaping one while around 12% report using a vape frequently --- at least 20 out of the last 30 days. Vaping seems to be everywhere. Don't be surprised if your teen is exposed, and don't feel like you are alone in this battle. Many other teens are fighting against vaping just like you.
Where do teens get their vapes? The answer is multiple sources. The most common sources is a local store. Around 74% of teens receive their vape product from a physical store location, and 52% of the same teens also report receiving a vape from a friend or family member.
According to the Truthinititiative.org, about 63% of teens did not understand that nicotine was ALWAYS incorporated into JUULs. As a parent, knowing that your teen could be exposed to vaping by other careless adults, or mischievous friend groups can help you guide your teen in a different direction.
There are plenty of resources out on the internet than can help you be more informed about vaping, its impact on your health, how widespread it is, and how to quit. Follow some of the links on the page, and get curious. The more that you know about vaping, the more power you have over it.
2. Know the Influence
Tobacco companies are trying to rebrand. They are attempting to lure the next generation into being hooked on nicotine, smoking, and specifically vaping. It's a huge industry, where the biggest vaping advertisers spent more that $8.6 billion on marketing in 2017.
These big tobacco companies are out to make vaping look "cool" when in reality, they are the backbone to leading health concerns, capitalistic greed, and damaging the next generation.
They don't care about you or your kids. They just want you or you teen to get hooked so they can make a lifetime customer out of you.
3. Find Your Why
If you are seriously thinking about quitting, you have to know exactly why you are doing it and FULLY COMMIT.
Without knowing why, you might not ever find the motivation, or have the determination to stick with sobriety. There will be temptations and physical urges that will distract you. You might have friends label you as a "buzzkill" if you don't smoke. You have to know exactly why you want to quit vaping so that you can stand on that reason when things get tough.
Some reasons you might decide to quit might be personal, and others might be common such as:
I want to avoid health issues down the road
It's super lame
I don't want to be controlled or addicted to anything
I have seen the impact it had on a friend or family member
It's a lot of money
I'm losing my friends
I'm failing classes
It makes life with my family complicated
There are many reasons why you might want to quit, or might want your teen to quit. Find your reason for quitting and stick with it. Sobriety is a step at a time, and it may be awhile before you feel completely free from wanting to vape, but the best time to quit is NOW.
Northwest Arkansas (NWA) is a great place to live. Mountain biking, football, the Back 40, and Onyx coffee are some of the things that I love most about this area.
One of the things that I also love about this area is that there is a culture here that is against vaping. So many people are looking to live healthy lifestyles and vaping just does not make sense for them. I hope that you have come to the same conclusion yourself.
If you need a little extra help, check out the smoke-free text program for teens HERE. Receive daily texts and tips on how to quit smoking for good.
If you have attempted to make changes in regards to vaping, and have failed, reach out for help. There are many qualified counselors in Northwest Arkansas who can readily assist your teen to a vape-free lifestyle.
Teen Focused Counseling might have the Bentonville counselor that you are looking for.
Consider scheduling a counseling session online. The best part... your first session is free!
