Vermont parents know it’s important to have conversations with their kids about alcohol and other drug use. But how? Watch video tips from Vermont parents on how to keep teens on the right track when it comes to alcohol and other drug use.
Click here to watch the videos.
Click here to watch the videos.
We need to talk about youth and young adult use of Electronic Nicotine Devices and vaping
More youth now use e-cigarettes than any other form of tobacco. The US has finally reached a historic low for cigarette use, yet e-cigarettes threaten a new generation of Vermonters with addiction. Data from the CDC and the FDA shows that e-cigarette use among youth has skyrocketed in high school-age children by more than 75% between 2017 and 2018! The U.S. Surgeon General has declared youth e-cigarette use an epidemic. According to the Surgeon General’s Office they have, "never seen use of any substance by America's youth rise this rapidly." The time to talk to kids about e-cigarettes and vaping is now - make sure they have the right facts.
What is an "electronic cigarette"?
Electronic cigarettes, also known as e-cigarettes, e-vaporizers, or electronic nicotine delivery systems, are battery-operated devices that people use to inhale an aerosol, which typically contains nicotine (though not always), flavorings, and other chemicals.
Some research suggests that e-cigarettes might be less harmful than cigarettes when people who regularly smoke switch to them as a complete replacement. However, because vaping is often promoted as a “safer” alternative to cigarettes, teens are getting the impression that they are safe. Youth and young adults should be reminded that almost all e-cigarettes or vaping devices contain nicotine. Nicotine in any form is a highly addictive drug. One of the most popular brands among youth is Juul. Juul brand devices ALWAYS contain nicotine (Juul just announced a decision to cut back on flavor and social media promotion as a result of government and public pressure). In addition to use causing an addiction to nicotine, research suggests that nicotine can even prime the brain’s reward system, putting people who vape at greater risk for addiction to other drugs.
What should adults do?
Educate yourself so you can have informed conversations with youth about how vaping or using e-cigarettes is not safe. Youth in our communities often have already internalized a lot of misinformation, so talk early and keep talking. Keep redirecting them to good information to help them make informed choices. Here are a few talking points:
More youth now use e-cigarettes than any other form of tobacco. The US has finally reached a historic low for cigarette use, yet e-cigarettes threaten a new generation of Vermonters with addiction. Data from the CDC and the FDA shows that e-cigarette use among youth has skyrocketed in high school-age children by more than 75% between 2017 and 2018! The U.S. Surgeon General has declared youth e-cigarette use an epidemic. According to the Surgeon General’s Office they have, "never seen use of any substance by America's youth rise this rapidly." The time to talk to kids about e-cigarettes and vaping is now - make sure they have the right facts.
What is an "electronic cigarette"?
Electronic cigarettes, also known as e-cigarettes, e-vaporizers, or electronic nicotine delivery systems, are battery-operated devices that people use to inhale an aerosol, which typically contains nicotine (though not always), flavorings, and other chemicals.
Some research suggests that e-cigarettes might be less harmful than cigarettes when people who regularly smoke switch to them as a complete replacement. However, because vaping is often promoted as a “safer” alternative to cigarettes, teens are getting the impression that they are safe. Youth and young adults should be reminded that almost all e-cigarettes or vaping devices contain nicotine. Nicotine in any form is a highly addictive drug. One of the most popular brands among youth is Juul. Juul brand devices ALWAYS contain nicotine (Juul just announced a decision to cut back on flavor and social media promotion as a result of government and public pressure). In addition to use causing an addiction to nicotine, research suggests that nicotine can even prime the brain’s reward system, putting people who vape at greater risk for addiction to other drugs.
What should adults do?
Educate yourself so you can have informed conversations with youth about how vaping or using e-cigarettes is not safe. Youth in our communities often have already internalized a lot of misinformation, so talk early and keep talking. Keep redirecting them to good information to help them make informed choices. Here are a few talking points:
- All Juul, and most other vape products, contain nicotine. One Juul “pod” contains the same amount of nicotine as an entire pack of cigarettes.
- Nicotine is not safe for the developing brain. Youth exposed to nicotine at an early age are more likely to become addicted to both nicotine and other substances, including starting to use cigarettes.(National Academy of Science, 2018).
- Tobacco use is still the #1 cause of preventable death and disease.
- These products are not safe, especially for youth. When compared to cigarettes - researchers think they will be safer (we do not have data on the long-term impact yet), but they will still have harmful health consequences. We know that the vapor from e-cigarettes is harmful because it contains harmful ingredients, including nicotine (CDC).
- US Surgeon General - Know the Facts website
- CDC - electronic cigarettes
- VT Department of Health - data brief on Electronic Vapor Product Use Among Vermont High School Students
- This 2 minute video is a great quick way to understand what an e-cigarette is.
- Partnership for Drug Free Kids - The Teen Vaping Trend, What Parents Need to Know
- The new look of nicotine addiction - info for parents
- Truth campaign - Videos and Facts for teens
- Flavors Hook Kids - CA campaign to help understand how flavored vape products hook kids into using
FINDING NATURAL WAYS TO TALK WITH KIDS ABOUT DRUGS AND ALCOHOL CAN BE CHALLENGINGFinding natural ways to talk with kids about drugs and alcohol can be challenging. Especially with teens who may seem like they’re not listening—or don’t care what you have to say. But the truth is, children care deeply about their parents’ opinions, even if they don’t show it directly. In fact, the #1 reason kids give for not drinking is that they don’t want to disappoint their parents.
In Vermont, 30% of high school students reported drinking alcohol in the past 30 days (2015 Vermont Youth Risk Behavior Survey). So the good news to tell kids is that most kids their age are NOT drinking! There is no single reason why teenagers do choose to use drugs or alcohol. However, the Partnership for Drug-Free Kids offers a list of the most common issues and influences behind the behavior of teenage drug and alcohol use here. ParentUP, a Vermont resource from the Vermont Department of Health, gives kids tips and tools to help parents and guardians talk to their kids about drug and alcohol use. Parents can help prevent alcohol and other drug use with the following strategies:
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CELEBRATING THE SEASON: KEEPING KIDS SAFE AND HEALTHY DURING GRADUATION AND SUMMER FESTIVITIES
Graduation is a great time to celebrate kids’ accomplishments. It’s a time to reflect on all the memories shared, and to consider all the possibilities that lie ahead. But graduation can also be a major transition in a teen’s life, and the pressure of succeeding, fitting in, and cultivating a new social group in college or in the workforce can be stressful. Offering guidance during this phase can help kids stay focused on their goals and avoid negative pressures.
How do we support our teens during this time? Consider the following strategies to ensure your kids have a safe environment in which to celebrate graduation:
- Start a conversation. When your child is heading out to a social gathering with their friends, talk to them first about expectations around alcohol and other drugs.
- Make connections. Get to know the parents who are hosting graduation parties to ensure they’ll be present and engaged.
- Monitor their activities. Have your child check in with you when they return home.
- Lock it up. Keep alcohol and other substances, like prescription medications, stored securely and out of sight.
- Be supportive. Remind your teen that you support their decisions not to drink alcohol or use drugs.
Learn more about these strategies and how to take action from ParentUp (http://parentupvt.org/).
“She’s just experimenting.”
“I took the keys away, so I know they will be safe.”
“Everyone else is doing it. It is a rite of passage.”
Parents, caregivers and our culture often justifies teen and young adult substance abuse as a normal part of growing up. However, there is a reason for us to educate ourselves and our communities to help public opinion catch up with the research and science. Because the brain is still going through significant development through adolescence and even up until the age of 25, a shocking ninety percent of addictions begin during the teen years.
The most important thing parents and others working with youth can do to reduce substance misuse and dependence is to help youth and young adults delay the age of first use of any substance for as long as possible. For example, young people who begin drinking before age 17 are more than two times as likely to develop an alcohol use disorder than those who begin drinking at age 21. Teens who begin drinking before age 14 are 4 times more likely to develop an alcohol use disorder (2012 National Survey on Drug Use and Health).
Risk-taking and making mistakes is normal teen behavior, however, when it comes to substance use, there is reason to be concerned and take action. Young people risk health related, and potentially fatal, consequences when they drink alcohol or abuse prescription or over the counter medication and/or illicit drugs. There are also legal consequences for persons under 21 years who possess alcohol with the intent to consume or who use a driver's’ license as false proof to purchase alcohol. Additionally, it is illegal for an adult to host a gathering where alcohol is consumed by minors and they can be held liable for personal and/or property damages incurred by individuals at the gathering or after leaving the event..
In order to provide a safe environment for children during year-end events, but also year-round, we urge community members and parents to be vigilant and consider the following strategies:
1. Talk with kids about expectations around alcohol and other drugs
2. Monitor teens’ behavior
3. Spread the word and make connections with other parents and community members
4. Know the warning signs of a problem
Learn more about these strategies and how to take action from ParentUp (http://parentupvt.org/), an initiative of the Vermont Department of Health.
Resources:
Parent Up: For tips on talking with your teen about alcohol and marijuana use and identifying warning signs, visit: http://parentupvt.org/how-can-i-help-prevent-it/monitor-your-teen
Partnership for Drug free kids: http://drugfree.org/ and http://drugfree.org/article/how-to-talk-about-marijuana/
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), “Talk. They Hear You” campaign: https://www.samhsa.gov/underage-drinking
Nat’l Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIH): https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohol-health
How do we support our teens during this time? Consider the following strategies to ensure your kids have a safe environment in which to celebrate graduation:
- Start a conversation. When your child is heading out to a social gathering with their friends, talk to them first about expectations around alcohol and other drugs.
- Make connections. Get to know the parents who are hosting graduation parties to ensure they’ll be present and engaged.
- Monitor their activities. Have your child check in with you when they return home.
- Lock it up. Keep alcohol and other substances, like prescription medications, stored securely and out of sight.
- Be supportive. Remind your teen that you support their decisions not to drink alcohol or use drugs.
Learn more about these strategies and how to take action from ParentUp (http://parentupvt.org/).
“She’s just experimenting.”
“I took the keys away, so I know they will be safe.”
“Everyone else is doing it. It is a rite of passage.”
Parents, caregivers and our culture often justifies teen and young adult substance abuse as a normal part of growing up. However, there is a reason for us to educate ourselves and our communities to help public opinion catch up with the research and science. Because the brain is still going through significant development through adolescence and even up until the age of 25, a shocking ninety percent of addictions begin during the teen years.
The most important thing parents and others working with youth can do to reduce substance misuse and dependence is to help youth and young adults delay the age of first use of any substance for as long as possible. For example, young people who begin drinking before age 17 are more than two times as likely to develop an alcohol use disorder than those who begin drinking at age 21. Teens who begin drinking before age 14 are 4 times more likely to develop an alcohol use disorder (2012 National Survey on Drug Use and Health).
Risk-taking and making mistakes is normal teen behavior, however, when it comes to substance use, there is reason to be concerned and take action. Young people risk health related, and potentially fatal, consequences when they drink alcohol or abuse prescription or over the counter medication and/or illicit drugs. There are also legal consequences for persons under 21 years who possess alcohol with the intent to consume or who use a driver's’ license as false proof to purchase alcohol. Additionally, it is illegal for an adult to host a gathering where alcohol is consumed by minors and they can be held liable for personal and/or property damages incurred by individuals at the gathering or after leaving the event..
In order to provide a safe environment for children during year-end events, but also year-round, we urge community members and parents to be vigilant and consider the following strategies:
1. Talk with kids about expectations around alcohol and other drugs
2. Monitor teens’ behavior
3. Spread the word and make connections with other parents and community members
4. Know the warning signs of a problem
Learn more about these strategies and how to take action from ParentUp (http://parentupvt.org/), an initiative of the Vermont Department of Health.
Resources:
Parent Up: For tips on talking with your teen about alcohol and marijuana use and identifying warning signs, visit: http://parentupvt.org/how-can-i-help-prevent-it/monitor-your-teen
Partnership for Drug free kids: http://drugfree.org/ and http://drugfree.org/article/how-to-talk-about-marijuana/
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), “Talk. They Hear You” campaign: https://www.samhsa.gov/underage-drinking
Nat’l Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIH): https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohol-health
