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Parents, talk to your kids about vaping.

Join in our efforts to educate Californians by sharing this important information.

E-cigarettes and Youth

Since the release of last year’s State Health Officer’s Report on E-Cigarettes: A Community Threat, research has continued to prove the alarming rise in youth and young adults’ use of e-cigarettes

• Escalating use of e-cigarettes by youth is hitting home in California. According to recently released California Healthy Kids Survey data, middle and high school teens are currently using e-cigarettes at much higher rates than traditional cigarettes: Seventh graders: 8% use e-cigarettes vs.3% smoking cigarettes; ninth graders: 13% use e-cigarettes vs. 5% smoke cigarettes; and eleventh graders: 16% use e-cigarettes vs. 9% smoke cigarettes.
• Nearly 7 in 10 U.S. middle and high school students (18.3 million) were exposed to e-cigarette advertisements. The three brands with the highest advertising expenditure in 2014 — MarkTen, blu, and Vuse — are all owned by the big tobacco companies.
• In a survey conducted by Yale Researchers, appealing flavors was one of the top reasons students experimented with e-cigarettes. E-liquids come in a variety of flavors like Fruit Loops and Cap’n Crunch that are enticing to youth.
• Mounting longitudinal studies show the connection between e-cigarette use leading to cigarette smoking in teens and young adults.

What Can You Do As a Parent?

As a parent, you are the first step in preventing the next generation of smokers. But, it’s often tough to know how to talk to your kids about a product or subject that is constantly evolving. Below are some tips on what you can do to educate and keep your children safe from the risks associated with e-cigarettes and vaping.

Tips for talking to your kids about vaping:

• Talk to your kids. E-cigarettes are purposefully designed to appeal to a younger audience with fruit and, candy flavored “e-juice” marketed by celebrities. Have a conversation with your children clarifying that while commercials make e-cigarettes appear safe and trendy, there are many known health threats that accompany vaping.
• Set Expectations. Express disappointment, rather than anger, toward the idea of your children vaping. Let them know that nicotine and the other chemicals found in e-cigarettes are dangerous and could be a gateway to smoking traditional cigarettes.
• Be a role model. E-cigarettes are everywhere today, and kids are receiving an abundance of exposure through advertisements, smoke shops and friends. If you are a smoker and are using e-cigarettes to help you quit, avoid vaping around your kids. The more they see you, the more legitimate your actions and behavior will appear to them.
• Remove the threat. The candy and fruit flavors of e-cigarettes greatly appeal to children, who may mistakenly drink the e-liquid. E-liquid and e-cigarette batteries are poisonous and can be life-threatening if swallowed.  If you are using e-cigarettes, never leave e-cigarettes or e-liquid where children can get them. Contact the California Poison Control System right away at 1-800-222-1222 if any e-liquid is swallowed, gets on the skin or in the eyes.
• Get Involved. Help protect youth from the potential harmful effects of e-cigarettes and e-liquid by encouraging their regulation, including the regulation of manufacturing practices, childproof packaging, and the elimination of flavors.

For more information, visit stillblowingsmoke.org.

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