In this article, I explore what vaping is, TMC’s policy on vaping, adolescence and impacts on decision making, and how parents can begin conversations with their child around vaping.
Vaping and Adolescents
There has been a lot of information in the news this year regarding the increase in adolescent use of vaping. Vaping involves using an electronic device (E-cigarette, vape, juul) that heats a liquid (vape juice, e-liquid, e-juice) to produce a vapour that looks a lot like smoke, which users inhale. The liquid solutions contain chemicals and sometimes appealing-sounding flavourings, such as chocolate, bubblegum and fruity flavours. E-cigarettes might be shaped like cigarettes, cigars, pens or other common items including USBs. These products are not regulated in Australia and are often purchased online, meaning they can be made anywhere, by anyone and contain anything.
Vaping can be seen by many young adolescents as an accessible act of risk-taking. It is often difficult to detect as it does not emit an odour such as cigarettes do. With the devices looking like other everyday items, such as USBs, it can be easy to hide them in plain sight.
Common Questions that Doctors at The Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne are asked include:
Do e-cigarettes contain nicotine?
Yes, most e-cigarettes contain nicotine. E-cigarette liquid may contain nicotine, even if it has been labelled ‘nicotine free’.
Are e-cigarettes and e-liquids safe?
No. The Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has not safety tested e-cigarettes or e-liquids, so they should not be considered a safe product. In some countries, people have died due to lung injury caused by using e-cigarettes.
Vaping and the TMC Student Code of Conduct
Vaping is not permitted on campus or during College activities. Vaping is also not permitted by College students off-campus whilst wearing school uniform. Any students found to be involved in vaping acts in breach of our Student Code of Conduct will incur appropriate consequences such as suspension or cancellation of enrolment.
TMC students are spoken to about the dangers and consequences of vaping during assemblies and ARC lessons.
Adolescents and Parenting
It’s important to understand why a conversation about this with your child, who may have always been sensible and rule-abiding, is still necessary.
Maggie Dent, teacher, counsellor, and parenting and resilience educator, sheds some light on this:
“The adolescent biological drive and hunger to belong with your peers is more powerful than their love and respect for you (the parent) – saying no to their social group could mean being excluded and rejected.
Teens do not have a mature prefrontal cortex and so making sound, reasoned decisions can be difficult especially when around friends.
Teens also have a tendency when making decisions to exaggerate the good (i.e. the rewards) and positives and to diminish the possible risks or negatives and they have a tendency to think ‘that won’t happen to me!’
No amount of reasoning, logic or lecturing from well-meaning parents can change that tendency.
So adolescents, especially teens under 16, need strong parental guidance and expectations. They will break boundaries – that is also a part of claiming their autonomy and there needs to be some serious conversations about consequences if they do it more than once.”
How to Talk to Your Child About Vaping
The Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne advises that ‘talking with teens about risky behaviours is an important way for parents to help keep them safe. Parents are already good at talking to their teens about alcohol, smoking and drugs. E-cigarettes should be included in the conversation. The earlier and more often you speak with young people about e-cigarettes, the more likely they are to listen. It’s important for parents to educate themselves, so they know the facts and what to say when the topic comes up.’
- Start with small conversations based on real stories in the media
- Approach it calmly, perhaps during an shared activity
- Don’t make assumptions and avoid accusations
- Talking ‘with’ your teen rather than ‘at’ them will improve communication.
- Focus on health and explain your concerns.
If you would like to speak with myself or a Year Coordinator about anything raised in this article, please reach out to us. A strong partnership between home and school will help develop resilient children.
References and Further Information Links
Alcohol and Drug Foundation - Talking About Vaping with Young People
Maggie Dent - Talking to Teens About Alcohol and Other Drugs
The Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne - E-Cigarettes and Teens
ABC News - Queensland Schools and Parents Worried ‘lolly-flavoured’ vapes on the rise among students
Mrs Fiona Stevens - Head of Secondary