Tips to Help Your Teen Quit Vaping

Since the 2010s, e-cigarettes, or vapes, have exploded in popularity among teens, resulting in a surge of nicotine dependence and addiction. If your teen has decided they want to quit vaping, there are lots of resources available to you and them. Behavioral interventions tend to work better than medical ones in most cases, including setting a quit date, removing vapes from the home, making plans to address triggers, and developing coping strategies. Pediatricians can be a great place to start for teens who want to stop vaping. If your teen is a heavy nicotine user, nicotine replacement products may be considered. These include gum, patches, lozenges, nasal sprays, and inhalers. For anyone under the age of 18, a prescription is required in order to get nicotine replacement products. While some parents may worry that these products will simply replace vaping, they actually have a low potential for misuse since they release nicotine slowly. One of the hardest parts of quitting vaping is the cravings. Distraction and exercise have both been proven to help cravings pass. It is important for teens to have a support network, like their parents and friends (who do not vape). Additionally, teens can text “DITCHVAPE” to 88709 to be connected to a support program.

Visit our website for more MomDocs tips: https://childrensmd.org/
Subscribe to our YouTube channel: http://bit.ly/2vHvSCw
Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stlchildrens
Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/STLChildrens
Learn More About Donating on YouTube: https://support.google.com/youtube/?p=donate_FAQ

The St. Louis Children’s Hospital YouTube station is intended as a reference and information source only. If you suspect you have a health problem, you should seek immediate care with the appropriate health care professionals. The information on this website is not a substitute for professional care, and must not be used for self-diagnosis or treatment. For help finding a doctor, St. Louis Children’s Hospital Answer Line may be of assistance at 314.454.KIDS (5437). The opinions expressed in these videos are those of the individual writers, not necessarily St. Louis Children’s Hospital or Washington University School of Medicine. BJC HealthCare and Washington University School of Medicine assume no liability for the information contained in this website or for its use.