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Five things all parents need to know about youth vaping

Kati Chauvin, Health Policy Analyst and Tobacco & Vaping Prevention Specialist at Central District Health, grew up in a small town in Washington with parents who smoked. And when she attended the DARE program at her school, it left her terrified. 


“When I first saw the damaged pig lungs the DARE presenters used, and I learned how bad smoking was for your health, I was scared to death that my parents were going to die,” she says. 


Kati Chauvin, Health Policy Analyst and Tobacco & Vaping Prevention Specialist at Central District Health

That image has stuck with Chauvin, but her personal approach to education has evolved. Now, after studying and working in the field of health policy and health education, Kati knows that research shows scare tactics don’t help keep kids away from vaping and other harmful substances.


“If we’re going to help kids steer away from vaping, we don’t need to scare them. We need to help them develop confidence and coping skills.” ~ Kati Chauvin


Did you know? 1 in 3 teens in Idaho have tried vaping and 1 in 5 teens vape regularly. This is DOUBLE the national average. 



Kati actively works with schools and parents, and a range of partner organizations to reduce rates of youth vaping. Here are the five tips she shared for parents.


Kati uses and inflatable brain to talk about how kids' brains aren't fully developed until at least age 25.

Tip # 1: Help build your kids’ confidence


To be able to say “no” to an offer of vaping, kids need a certain level of underlying confidence, especially since it’s so natural for kids to want to be liked by their peers. 


So how can parents help kids develop that underlying confidence?


  1. Acknowledge that your kids are different from you. 

  2. Call out their individual strengths, and regularly reinforce them.


“You can build up a kid’s confidence in little ways. Say you watch your child say hello to a friend when you pick them up at school. You might say, ‘I really liked how you said ‘hello’ to your friend. The smile on your face made her smile.’”

A child may not think about what their own friendly smile might do for another kid. But as an adult, we do know the power of a genuine smile – and we can point that out to our kids.


The more a child feels confident and secure in who they are and the positive contributions they can make, the easier it can be to say “no” to others. 


Tip # 2: Role play how to say “no” to an offer to vape


One of the best ways to prepare your kid to be offered a vape (which is most likely to happen between the ages of 13 to 16, but could be younger) is to role-play at home what to say when it happens.


“Most middle and high-schoolers try nicotine products simply because they’re curious – AND because the part of their brains responsible for impulse control is not developed yet.” 


Teens have not yet developed good impulse control because the last part of an adolescent’s brain to develop is the prefrontal cortex, the part that's responsible for impulse control and rational decision making. And that's why rehearsing exactly what they’d say to an offer to vape can help them say “no” in the moment.

Some possible responses to rehearse include:

  • No thanks. Vaping is gross, not cool. And I’ve heard it causes acne. 

  • Nah, I’m good. Playing [sport name] is really important to me and I want to keep my body as healthy as possible.

  • I care what my little [brother/sister] thinks of me and I don’t want them to see me make a decision to vape. 

  • I can't. If I got drug tested, that would not look good. 

  • Exit strategy: I’m gonna go find [friend’s name].


Tip: Help your child start rehearsing their response as early as 3rd grade. Help your child find responses that feel easy and natural –  so they can roll off their tongue when they need it. And if they don’t want to role-play or think of a response, just let them know that if this ever comes up, they don’t have to handle it alone and can talk to you or another trusted adult.  


You can also encourage your kid to be a leader among their friends and talk to them about how they might influence friends to say “no.” Have them check out Idaho Drug-Free Youth, an organization of kids interested in living a substance-free life. 

“My dad used to tell me: You ARE who you surround yourself with. I like to pass that on to kids and add, ‘And …YOU can be a game-changer among your friends and classmates.’”

Did you know? The LEGAL age for vaping is 21, not 18.

Tip # 3: Help your child develop a toolbox of coping skills


All kids need coping skills. But they don’t develop them by magic. You can be there to help your kids recognize what things “fuel their fire” and give them a natural high. Those activities are what help prevent anxiety and depression and keep your kid from turning to harmful substances to feel good. 


“I always ask kids: ‘What do you like to do for fun?’ And they'll tell me … hockey, wrestling, horseback riding, music. And I tell them, ‘Well, those ARE actually coping skills. The things you love to do help you get a natural dopamine release.” 


Experts like Chauvin often refer to nicotine as a “joy thief.” Why? Because it releases a big rush of dopamine, which is one of your body’s “feel-good” chemicals. But, over time, those big rushes upset your natural levels of dopamine – and the things that used to feel good no longer do. 



“When we work with kids who are nicotine dependent, we help them reconnect to the things they once felt joy in – and that becomes their nicotine replacement therapy,” Chauvin says.


Did you know? The INDEPTH program is a supportive alternative to in-school suspension for vaping. It consists of four, 50-minute sessions that help kids explore their reasons for nicotine use. After completing these four sessions, 60% of youth voluntarily enroll themselves in a cessation program. 


Tip # 4: Avoid using strong, scary or potentially shaming messaging about youth vaping


When parents are talking to kids about vaping (or other harmful substances), it’s common to say things about how terrible vaping is, and how if you start, you’ll NEVER be able to quit.


But it’s really important for parents to think about how those messages could land. Research has consistently shown that:

  1. Preaching about the harms of vaping (which most kids know about) does not help kids avoid it. 

  2. One-third of Idaho teens feel positively about vaping. 

  3. Telling teens strongly “not” to do anything often ends up piquing their curiosity. 

  4. All types of kids try vaping. This means your kid could be one of them. 

  5. If a kid is vaping, telling them how hard it’ll be to quit could prevent them from getting help.


“I always advise parents to avoid messaging about how terrible and addictive vaping is because you can never really know for sure if your child – or their friends – are vaping.” 


Instead, ask your kids if any kids at school are vaping. Ask them why they think kids might want to do it. Listen non-judgmentally to their answers and gently explain how kids might think that vaping “helps them relax” at first, but can actually end up making them far more anxious. Tell them you’d like to make sure they have a toolbox of coping skills to help them relax and feel good – and to know that help is available if they or someone they care about is struggling with quitting.


A map or Idaho Public health contact names and phone numbers by district.

Did you know? Most kids who are suffering from addiction are embarrassed by it and wish it would not have happened to them – and that embarrassment can keep them from getting help.


Tip # 5: Know the signs of vaping and trust your gut

Vaping can be easy to hide from parents. Parents may not recognize the many different types of devices and cartridges, and kids can easily hide them in decoy containers that are specifically designed for that purpose. Just how discrete vaping can be is one of the things that Kati will cover in CDH’s FREE virtual training about youth vaping on February, 23 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Flyer to advertise Central District Health's FREE "Prevent Youth Vaping" virtual event on 2/23/25.

“I like to remind parents: You know your kid best. So if you have a gut feeling that something is out of the ordinary, lean into it.” 

Some signs a kid may be regularly vaping include noticing increased: 

  • Irritability

  • Trouble sleeping

  • Restlessness

  • Starting to use (or use more) perfume or cologne 





Resources to learn more, help a kid who's vaping, or advocate for prevention/intervention/cessation support in schools:

Know a 12- to 18-year-old who’s passionate about a substance-free life (or a chance to earn 2K)? 

Tell them about this cool contest where they could win up to $2,000 for creating a 90-second video inspiring other teens to live substance free!



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