Best Practice

Addressing vaping: Working with parents

PSHE Pastoral issues Pupil wellbeing
If current trends in vaping continue, all children would be vapers within five years. But the government is acting. In the meantime, what can schools do to support parents and address this issue? Matthew Godfrey advises
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The current prevalence of vaping among teens is a central concern for all schools and parents.

Earlier this year, the Royal College of Paediatricians and Child Health described its rise as an “epidemic” among teenagers, even though vaping is illegal under the age of 18 (see Hall & Skopeliti, 2023).

It is sobering to think that if the current trend in vaping were to continue, all children would be vapers within five years.

Dr Mike McKean, vice-president of policy for the Royal College, is warning that without action we could see long-term addictions and lung damage.

The government is starting to move on this issue with the Department of Health and Social Care this week announcing plans for a UK-wide ban on disposable vapes, which it says have driven an “alarming rise in youth vaping”. It is already illegal to sell any cape to anyone under-18, but the DHSC says that the number of children using vapes in the past three years has tripled and use among younger children is also rising, with 9% of 11 to 15-year-olds now using vapes.

There is also to be new powers to restrict vape flavours, introduce plain packaging and change how vapes are displayed in shops so they don’t appeal to children.

Vapes are a particularly pernicious problem since they are highly addictive and easily accessible. Their small size and their lack of odour also make them harder to spot (at least the lingering smell of tobacco made it obvious when a cigarette had been smoked).

Manufacturers have marketed vape products directly at teenagers with alarming effectiveness. And schools have found themselves on the front-line.

It has always been the case that young people cope better with the inevitable challenges of being a teenager if parents and schools work in partnership to support them through these difficult years. So, what strategies can be put in place to combat this latest trend?

The most important way in which schools can support parents and children is by providing information and strategies so that both parties feel empowered to avoid and deal with potential threats.

If schools do this in a clear and non-confrontational way, it fosters honest and open discussions about how best to navigate this issue.

Here are some clear messages that schools can openly share about the risks associated with vaping. Clarity around these points will also help to foster a longer-term culture in which vaping is viewed as “uncool” and something that has no place within the community:

  • Vaping is illegal for anyone under the age of 18 years.
  • There is a strong connection between vaping, anxiety, and depression (Hicks, 2023).
  • Vapes still contain nicotine and so vaping is still addictive and can lead to addiction to other substances such as tobacco and alcohol (NIDA, 2024).
  • Persistent vaping is likely to result in the corruption of the taste buds; this is, in part, because it is easier to vape for a longer period of time (compared with smoking), so the damage inflicted can be much worse (Mammoser, 2023).
  • Because vapes still contain nicotine, quitting is hard – just like with cigarettes.

Indeed, in its announcement this week, the DHSC states: “The long-term health impacts of vaping are unknown and the nicotine contained within them can be highly addictive, with withdrawal sometimes causing anxiety, trouble concentrating and headaches.”

And here are some practical steps that schools and parents can take to build trust and communication with teenagers:

  • Emphasise the effectiveness of taking exercise as a way to crush an urge to vape. Teachers and parents can lead on this by setting an example, as can teenage role models.
  • Give examples of how distractions can deter the desire to vape. It can be as simple as doing a household chore, baking a cake, or listening to music. Training yourself to do one of these things instead of succumbing to a craving can build self-esteem and avoid addiction.
  • Encourage teenagers to talk about the problem. Parents need not wait for their children to raise the topic: they can open it up as a direct conversational topic at home and reward honesty with a caring reaction rather than getting angry if your children admit to having vaped.
  • Vaping is sometimes a reaction to stress, so explore other ways to de-stress. Among teenagers, exercise, meditation, and laughter are often the most effective ways to de-stress and build confidence. If this can be achieved alongside a supportive parent, adult or friend, so much the better.
  • Reward successes – for example, if a parent knows that their child has managed to avoid vaping for 48 hours, reward them with praise or their favourite meal for supper.

Schools can also help to point parents towards other resources that can help. Apps such as Quit Vaping can be effective. Allen Carr’s book Easy Way to Quit Vaping has helped many, partly by very eloquently and powerfully dispelling any notion that vaping is cool or positive.

There is much evidence to suggest that teenagers are more likely to become vapers if they have a weak sense of belonging or feel insecure in their peer group. So schools can help by building a strong ethos and community that involves pupils and parents. This can be achieved in many ways, such as inviting parents to attend school events and encouraging as much social interaction as possible. Pupils benefit enormously from getting involved in societies, clubs and teams outside the usual curriculum.

The ideal is to find a long-term challenge or activity for a group of children – staging a play, perhaps, or working together to raise funds for a charity, or training for a football tournament – and then encouraging the whole school community to come together and support the end result.

  • Matthew Godfrey is deputy head at Downe House School in Berkshire, an independent boarding school for girls aged 11 to 18.

 

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