By Joshua Koch
Public Communications
Middle school and high school students across the nation are battling addition to e-cigarettes. More than 2.1 million youth across the country reported current use of e-cigarettes, better known as vapes, as part of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) 2023 National Youth Tobacco Survey.
More than 1 in 4 (25.2%) of current youth e-cigarette users use an e-cigarette product every day. Nearly 35 percent have used an e-cigarette product in at least 20 of the last 30 days, making them frequent users.
In Texas, the legal age for the purchase, distribution, possession, or consumption of tobacco-like products – including e-cigarettes – is 21. Regardless of legal limitations, youth still may buy e-cigarettes, also known as vapes, from peers or sneak them from family members. And the reality is, age restrictions at retail stores are not consistently enforced.
Vaping among youth has become a national issue and parents should know everything they can about the dangers, what vapes look like, how youth are being targeted by companies and how to help their child if they become addicted.
5 Things to Know
1) Myth: “Vaping is better than smoking cigarettes.”
False. VAPES/E-cigarettes contain harmful substances including nicotine; ultrafine particles that can be inhaled deep into the lungs; flavorings such as diacetyl, a chemical linked to serious lung damage; volatile organic compounds; cancer-causing chemicals and heavy metals such as nickel, tin and lead.
What is worse is when you start comparing cigarettes to e-cigarettes. There are 20 cigarettes in one pack. Consuming a single JUUL pod is equivalent to smoking 44 cigarettes; a single PHIX pod equates to 75 cigarettes and a Suorin pod equals 90 cigarettes.
2) Companies Directly Target Youth With Marketing
Did you know vaping companies are targeting your child as they scroll through their Instagram and X accounts?
JUUL, a popular vape company, spent $1 million to launch their product on X, formerly known as Twitter, Instagram and YouTube. On a monthly basis, 73,000 posts are made on X related to e-cigarettes. Instagram, photos using #vape has increased by 4 million from 2014 to 2023.
A variety of flavors, geared towards youth, has also become a marketing tool. Cotton candy, gummi bears, Sour Patch Kids, Trollies – all popular candy that children enjoy are now e-cigarette flavors.
According to the Center of Disease Control’s (CDC) 2023 National Youth Tobacco Survey, 89.4 percent of current e-cigarette users used flavored e-cigarettes with fruit flavors being the most popular, followed by candy, desserts or other sweets.
Texas is combatting this with the passing of the Protecting Children from Electronic Cigarette Advertising Act, or House Bill 4758. This makes it a Class B misdemeanor for businesses and individuals to market, advertise or sell e-cigarette products to minors. This offense is punishable by up to 180 days in jail, a fine of as much as $2,000, or both. The new law went into effect January 1, 2024.
3) Hidden in Plain Sight: Vapes and the Signs of Vaping Addiction
It looks like a highlighter. Works like a highlighter. But it’s a vape pen.
“It’s so easy for students to hide their vaping habits, disguising devices as everyday items like pens and highlighters, which parents often overlook,” Humble ISD Secondary Behavior Specialist Amber Williams said.
The evolution of the E-Cigarettes over time has gone from the product looking like an actual cigarette to now looking like an everyday item. There are also vaporizer hoodies, which have a patented drawstring vapor delivery system, which is compatible with vape cartridges.
Hiding places for vape products have also become more creative. A hairbrush that the handle unscrews from or the end pops off to expose a hidden compartment; a soda can, body spray can, or deodorant stick can be bought with hidden compartments where vape products can be hidden.
These items can be bought online, without parental consent, and shipped directly to the child’s home. These boxes will look like normal packages but contain these items.
What is also hidden sometimes are the initial signs that someone is becoming addicted to vaping.
Williams suggests paying attention to any changes in behavior from your children. Are they isolating more? Are you speaking with them? Are you checking who their friends are and monitoring their social media? What are they following? What are they looking at?
Some additional signs to watch for include having trouble concentrating or sleeping, finding themselves reaching for their vape without thinking about it and continuing to vape even though they know it is bad for them.
Sometimes the signs are in plain sight without knowing it.
4) An Open Channel of Communication with Children is Key for Vaping Awareness
Parents having open, real conversations with empathetic listening with their students about vaping is a key first step.
“It is important to have a conversation and connect with your kids on a regular basis about these topics, and talk about how to avoid peer pressure situations,” Humble ISD Secondary Behavior Specialist Christopher Ybarra said. “Open dialogue promotes seeking understanding and true knowledge from a trusted source rather than going to their friends for advice.”
Starting the conversation about vaping can be the most challenging step for parents. To support them, Humble ISD Counseling and Behavioral Services has provided several conversation starters designed to ease into the topic and foster an open dialogue with their children. These questions include:
Are your friends vaping?
What do you think about vaping?
Do you know what vapes are?
Do you know that vaping can damage your health?
Do you know other ways vaping damages your life?
These conversation starters are intended to open a constructive dialogue, helping parents to address the issue of vaping with empathy and understanding.
Humble ISD Director of Personalized Counseling, Tye Hobbs, emphasizes the importance of parents approaching conversations from a place of understanding rather than judgment.
“When parents aim to understand their child's perspective and motivations, kids are less defensive and more open,” Hobbs explained. “Asking ‘how can I help you?’ instead of ‘why are you doing this?’ prevents kids from shutting down.”
Ybarra added: “Shame is another thing that will encourage drug use, not prevent it. I think that’s something that’s difficult for parents to hear.”
So, when do you start the conversation?
“I believe transitioning from fifth to sixth grade is an excellent opportunity to raise awareness,” Hobbs said. “The goal is not to instill fear or introduce them to it, but to bring awareness.”
5) Seeking Help: Humble ISD is here.
Humble ISD Counseling and Behavioral Services offers students who are struggling with an addiction to vaping personalized services via the mental health team and substance abuse counselor.
Kim Hopkins, the Substance Abuse Counselor for Humble ISD, works closely with students once she receives parental consent.
“Once I get consent, I conduct an initial meeting with the student,” Hopkins explained. “We discuss how things started and what stage of change they are in. As I build rapport, we develop a student success plan.”
This plan includes setting goals and tracking progress.
“I focus on intervention, awareness, and prevention while they are still engaging in the behavior,” Hopkins said. “I educate them on the effects of vaping on their bodies.”
The number of sessions a student attends varies, typically ranging from four to nine.
“How often we meet depends on the student’s needs,” Hopkins said. “Each student is different. Some may need to see me for the rest of the year, others bi-weekly. My goal is for them to view this as a positive outlet, not as a punishment.”
Humble ISD sends vaping awareness educational material every nine weeks to secondary campuses. Vaping awareness nights, Parent University in-person and virtual events are held annually. Vaping awareness posters are on all middle and high school campuses. Finally, the third week of March is Vaping awareness week.
Resources for Quitting
Call 1-800-QUIT-NOW
Call 1-877-YES-Quit
Text DITCH JUUL to 88709