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It is no secret that vaping has become increasingly popular among teenagers in recent years. But does this mean that doctors are actually giving out cigarettes to teens, especially to quit smoking? Will parents give cigarettes to teenagers? The answer may surprise you.
Jason always thought as a general practitioner he would never struggle to help his teenage son, but when it comes to vaping, he has found himself at a loss. In order to combat this, Jason has chosen unconventional means of trying to get his 14-year-old off e-cigarettes; instead of avoiding nicotine altogether, he is giving him two cigarettes per day in an attempt to wean him off the nicotine. While this may not seem conventional, Jason hopes that by replacing the vape with cigarettes his son will have fewer cravings for the substance, and then be able to gradually reduce and eventually stop altogether.
In actuality, cigarettes contain more nicotine than the tobacco found in what is known as chew, dip, or snuff. Consider this comparable to a vape. It’s important to remember that any kind of inhalation of smoke or tobacco (cigarettes) can cause serious conditions and diseases. Hoping to reduce nicotine cravings by increasing the content of nicotine, well – it just doesn’t work.
Ayesha Verrall has seen firsthand just how deadly smoking can truly be. From her perspective as a resident physician in New Zealand’s public hospitals and later as an infectious disease specialist, she saw countless individuals on the brink of death because of their smoking habit. Despite being aware of the dangers that cigarette smoke can bring, it often did not stop people from partaking in this self-destructive behavior. Dr. Verral always took the time to remind her patients that stopping smoking was among the best things they could do for their health, along with taking their prescribed medications – and this message remains true today for all of us. Smoking is still a major cause of death worldwide and must be taken seriously if we are to protect ourselves and those around us from its potentially fatal consequences.
Verrall is still urging citizens to give up cigarettes—no longer just one by one, but by the thousands. As New Zealand’s associate minister for health, she has led the development of the Smokefree Aotearoa 2025 Action Plan, which could make New Zealand the first country in the world to achieve smoke-free status—typically defined as an adult smoking rate of no more than 5%. (Aotearoa, loosely “Land of the Long White Cloud,” is a traditional Māori name for the country.) New Zealand’s Parliament is about to vote on the plan, which Chris Bostic, Washington, D.C.–based policy director at Action on Smoking & Health (ASH), calls “a huge deal. This will be the most comprehensive antitobacco policy in history.
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The ultimate question is why would someone give a deadlier substance to ward off a less harmful addiction? Especially when the parent is a doctor. What exactly is this vaping parent scared of, and do Doctors know the truth about smoking vs e-cigarette nicotine? We cover some global and local influencers, with a little science thrown in.
1. The first country in the world to Achieve Smoke-free Status?
New Zealand is aiming just for that. The Smokefree Aotearoa 2025 Action Plan aims to get the adult smoking rate down to no more than 5%. This would be the most comprehensive antitobacco policy in history and could show other countries how to move forward with similar plans. Officials want to ban anyone born after 2009 from buying cigarettes in the future and shut down 95% of tobacco shops by 2025 — but critics warn it will fuel black the market.
The truth of the matter is that cigarettes are much more dangerous than vaping. Cigarettes contain over 7,000 chemicals, many of which are known to cause cancer and other damaging effects on the body. Vaping, on the other hand, typically uses liquids containing nicotine and a few other harmless ingredients like propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin. So why would doctors give out cigarettes?
What was the first anti-smoking campaign?
Not renowned for its public health measures, Nazi Germany led the first anti-smoking campaign in modern history and was the most powerful anti-smoking movement in the world during the 1930s and early 1940s
The most widely known anti-smoking campaign was launched in the United States by the American Cancer Society in 1954. The campaign warned people of the dangers of smoking and encouraged them to quit. Since then, various other campaigns have been launched around the world to educate people on the risks associated with smoking.
Vaping was not introduced until 2003, by a scientist trying to quit smoking. The e-cigarette was invented in 2003 by Chinese pharmacist Hon Lik, who initially developed the device to serve as an alternative to conventional smoking. In addition to the battery component, an e-cigarette comprises an atomizer and a cartridge containing either a nicotine or a non-nicotine liquid solution.
Despite numerous claims, the anti-tobacco movement was not the start of the anti-vaping movement. However, other movements have failed to the extent electronic cigarettes have succeeded.
How effective is vaping for quitting smoking?
What campaigns have tried to stop smoking?
Tobacco-Free Campaigns (with Vaping thrown in):
- E-Cigarettes & Young People. Facts about e-cigarette use among youth and young adults from the U.S. Surgeon General.
- Pick Your Poison.
- TAKE CONTROL OF TOBACCO.
- Stay Smokefree for Good.
- QUITTING SMOKING TAKES PRACTICE.
- Real Stories.
The problems with the above campaigns? Since the movement started in 1954 didn’t work (well, the tobacco companies didn’t help, see my personal story), renaming and reshaping the argument is probably not going to work.
Taking control of tobacco products with the same approach is a difficult plan for many people who are faced with the challenge to quit smoking. Many times, these individuals fail simply because they are unable to adjust their approach or mindset when dealing with this challenging habit. However, research shows that having a challenging habit is distinct from having an addiction. While addictions are characterized by extreme urges to engage in a particular activity or consume a substance, challenging habits often follow more of a pendulum pattern—where the use of or exposure to the activity or substance fluctuates in intensity and duration.
The idea of repeatedly doing the same thing over and expecting different results is applicable in this circumstance and rightly defines insanity. It is essential to remember that being successful in kicking this habit (or addiction) can only be achieved by taking a new and creative approach rather than repeating the same technique again and again.
2. Are teens struggling with smoking vs vaping?
My search did not find any evidence to support or deny the question. What prominently showed up were ads generated by content providers claiming vaping is deadly. The only article coming up was from CDC, Quick Facts on the Risks of E-cigarettes for Kids, Teens, and Young Adults. However, the questions following the article were mixed, disputing the CDC article, with mostly the below results:
Is replacing smoking with vaping better?
Health effects of vaping vs smoking: completely replacing cigarette smoking with vaping will reduce your exposure to harmful chemicals. there are short-term general health improvements if you completely switch from smoking cigarettes to vaping products.
How many times better is vaping than smoking?
However, if you are a smoker who can’t quit you will dramatically reduce your risk of dying from cancer, heart, and lung disease if you switch to vaping. How much less risky is it? Well, at present we can say that the long-term risk from vaping is at least 95% less than from smoking.
3. How do you stop youth from vaping?
Again, the top search results are loaded with paid ads. Apparently, there are not a lot of searches for this topic, though the ads would like to change the algorithm. I would like to actually focus on parenting since when a teen starts with forbidden fruit experimentation, they are usually sorry, it is not a consistent pattern, and we all need to remember when we were teenagers.
The current focus on preventing youth vaping could hinder adults’ efforts to stop smoking.
Considerable evidence suggests that e-cigarettes are an effective smoking-cessation tool for adults in the United States, where hundreds of thousands of people die of smoking-related illnesses each year.
Kenneth Warner, dean emeritus and the Avedis Donabedian Distinguished University Professor Emeritus at the University of Michigan’s School of Public Health, says, “E-cigarettes if used properly and safely, can be much less dangerous than combustible cigarettes. The key is to ensure that the use of the products is restricted to adult smokers who are seeking to quit smoking or switch from cigarettes.”
What do you think can be done to prevent youth from using vaping products?
Reduce Young People’s Exposure to E-cigarettes
- Restrict E-cigarette Use Around Young People. Don’t let anyone use e-cigarettes or other tobacco products around young people.
- Visit Tobacco-Free Locations.
- Ensure School is Tobacco-Free.
- Make Your Home Tobacco-Free.
- Be an Example.
Tobacco use, in any form, is dangerous. Tobacco is not nicotine. When it comes to nicotine, the growing brain of a young person is especially vulnerable and at risk of experiencing repercussions caused by its use. That’s why it’s essential to have a stance against children using any tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, now or in the future. If you use nicotine products then offer them an honest glimpse at what life is like addicted to nicotine. Explain that quitting is hard, but that it’s attainable if they put their mind and dedication towards achieving that goal. Let them know you support them no matter what and will help in whatever way you can.
And in the final acts, simply refuse to let them have the products. This worked with me and smoking back in 1976, though I didn’t like cigarettes that much to begin with. You are the parent, lay down the law (whether they listen, you can’t control).
Finally, parenting advice:
“My goal would be to use this incident to lay the groundwork for an ongoing honest conversation about smoking/vaping/drugs. I would make some hot chocolate and ask her if you could talk about it—that she’s not in trouble, and more than anything else you view this as a sign of her growing up. Ask her what it felt like. What did she think? IF (don’t accuse) she’s done it before, does she like it, or is it more of a social thing? Get her talking to you about the experience and be curious instead of judgy.
I’m not saying you should never hold her accountable, but she is 14, a usually pretty good kid, and is now in big trouble—So immediately, that is going to make her clam up except for what she needs to say/do to move on…which is the total opposite of what you want! Chances are her friends were doing it and so she did too (whether for the first or fiftieth time). Something that will happen over and over.”
4. Which is worse: smoking or vaping?
Taking the side that is not heavily funded: I covered the science with links in a previous article: Is Vaping More Or Less Harmful Than Smoking? “Don’t compare combustible smoke to fresh air. Whether vaping is safe does not help, nothing is safe. Walking down the sidewalk of a busy street, one breathes plenty of carbon monoxide from automobiles’ combustible fumes. If one were to isolate in a garage with those fumes, one would die.” Am hoping to give good evidence for a proper choice.
5. The Impact of Banning Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems on Combustible Cigarette Sales: Evidence From US State-Level Policies
(May 2020, Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization) concluded, “We find that increasing the minimum legal sale age to 21 is associated with a 3.2 percentage point reduction in youth combustible cigarette smoking…”
“Conclusions
This study provides novel evidence that banning ENDS was associated with increased cigarette sales, using state-level commercial sales data. The results highlight and quantify potential unintended consequences of ENDS sale restrictions, which should be considered in future policy deliberations on tobacco products. Additional research is also needed to investigate the impact on spatial spillover effects,42 illicit markets, and other scenarios that may arise in response to ENDS restrictions. Furthermore, the long-term impact of ENDS sales bans on ENDS and cigarette sales, as well as the distal public health outcomes, will need to be studied as additional data become available.“
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1098301522000080
It is clear that the debate over smoking and vaping is complex, with research showing both potential risks and benefits. However, it appears that restricting access to e-cigarettes might lead to an increase in combustible cigarette sales among young people. In addition, parents should strive to create a home environment where open communication between them and their children encourages honest conversations without judgment or fear of punishment when discussing sensitive topics such as substance use. With these measures in place, we may be able to reduce youth exposure to tobacco products altogether and protect our younger generations from the potentially harmful effects of smoking addiction.
6. Additional References: Give Cigarettes to Teenager
https://www.acsh.org/news/2022/12/02/insanity-doctor-gives-teenage-son-cigarettes-break-vaping-habit-16706
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/dec/02/ive-lost-my-children-to-vaping-the-tragic-stories-behind-the-soaring-rates-of-youth-addiction
https://velvetgloveironfist.blogspot.com/2022/12/australia-reaches-peak-clownshow.html
https://www.science.org/content/article/final-puff-can-new-zealand-quit-smoking-good
https://pharmaceutical-journal.com/article/opinion/smoking-cessation-the-nazi-method
https://betobaccofree.hhs.gov/tobacco-free-campaigns
https://e-cigarettes.surgeongeneral.gov/takeaction.html
