I have been surprised by the number of vaping shops that have opened in strip malls recently. They seem to be everywhere now. As we read in Dr. Hays’ recent blog, the evidence is pretty clear that e-cigarettes are safer than combusted cigarettes and may be helpful for some smokers on the path to quitting all tobacco. As the father of 3 young boys, I’ve paid particular attention to the ways in which vaping is likely to be present in their lives. For example, a TV show that I’ve enjoyed for quite some time, showed teens vaping in their room in a recent episode. When the mom walked in and completely ignored this behavior, I was shocked. So shocked I turned it off and haven’t watched the show since. I just can’t get my head around any kind of nicotine or tobacco use among teens being normalized. With summer right around the corner, I’ll be attending local outdoor events with my boys. While I’ve appreciated the reduction in cigarette smoking at these events, I’m anticipating that the use of e-cigarettes will be much more common this summer. It will generate conversations that I’ll have with my boys about what they know and think of them, who and where they observe people using them, and why I believe they should steer clear of them just like combusted cigarettes. I've started the conversation early, they're 8, 6 and nearly 4. The time to start is now so they don't have any question when it comes to needing to make decisions on their own.
I’m curious what kinds of experiences have you had with vaping? And about the conversations you’ve had with friends and loved ones about e-cigarettes? As you share your experiences, please be mindful that this is a place where we support and encourage each other on the path to being smoke-free… even if people take different approaches to getting there.
