Talking to young people about smoking, vaping and other nicotine products
Many parents and carers are looking for ways to talk with young people about smoking and vaping. Open, supportive conversations can help young people make informed decisions and get support when needed.
Why these conversations matter
Talking about smoking and vaping isn't always easy, and many people are looking for support on where to begin.
Young people may be:
- Curious about smoking, vaping or other nicotine products
- Hearing about them from friends, social media or family members
- Choosing not to use them
- Experimenting with them
- Using them regularly
Keeping communication open can make it easier for young people to come to trusted adults for information and support.
Before talking with your young person, it can help to understand the facts about vaping, smoking and nicotine.
Learn more about the health effects, addiction, and products commonly used by young people below.
I'm going to help you plan a conversation in a non-threatening way. Once you have a bit of a structure and know your facts, you will find it much easier. I'm Ciza and I'm a Quitline Counsellor.
In this video, we're going to give you some tips on how to talk about smoking and vaping with young people, whether you're a concerned parent, teacher, or friend.
I'm Vanessa and I'm a Quitline Counsellor. If you find out your child or young person is smoking or vaping, be open to discussion. Being angry or confrontational can make things worse and it won't help them to stop.
Try to keep the conversation relaxed and informal. Don't make accusations. It's important to listen, not lecture. Let them know you're there to support because you care.
It can help to wait until you see someone else smoking or vaping, or until you see it comes up in the media. The reason is because you need to have this conversation when your teen is not busy or distracted.
Plan the conversation in two parts.
First, find out if they are smoking or vaping and how they feel about it.
Then have a follow-up conversation based on that. You can take a pause of a few days after you initially raised the topic.
The best approach depends on how the young person responds.
Be prepared to listen and talk without judgment. Be curious and interested in their thoughts and feelings. The less threatened they feel, the better your conversation will go.
You can start by asking, "How much smoking and vaping do you see among your friends or at school?"
Phrase questions to require more than just a yes or no answer. You can always ask "how come?" to learn more.
From this conversation, you should get a sense whether they have tried smoking or vaping. And also you have an idea of how frequently they do it.
If they are not into smoking or vaping, you can reinforce the negative impact with facts to support their decision not to smoke or vape.
If they are curious or have been offered a cigarette or vape or feel like they're missing out, have a different conversation. They may have friends who smoke or vape, exposing them to social pressure.
They probably understand the risks and might be worrying about how their family might react to them smoking or vaping. By letting them know you think smoking and vaping is a bad idea, you can convince them it is a poor decision and to never start.
If you find out that they're already experimenting with smoking and vaping, try to stay calm.
They probably think they have it under control and can stop before it becomes serious. This is a great opportunity to reinforce the risks of vaping.
You might like to point out that many vapes have nicotine, which is highly addictive. And this is not always written on the packaging.
If they are addicted and they are open to receive help to stop, it's your opportunity to give them support and empathy. Because most of these teens, they have started smoking and vaping without realizing that this could become a habit.
Supporting their journey is essential to helping them quit.
The I Can Quit website has some useful information about quitting vaping.
A young person will need your care and encouragement to stop smoking or vaping.
Start with an exploratory conversation and then tailor the next part based on where the young person is at with smoking and vaping.
I want you to remember this.
It helps if your views are informed based on facts and also if you discuss things in a relaxed and non-confrontational way.
Quitline is available to help guide you in supporting young people to quit vaping.
What products are young people talking about?
Young people may come across many different smoking, vaping and nicotine products, including:
- Cigarettes and other tobacco products
- Vapes/e-cigarettes
- Shisha (waterpipe/hookah)
- Nicotine pouches
- Tobacco pouches
These products can look very different, but many contain nicotine. Nicotine is addictive and can affect a young person’s health and wellbeing.
You do not need to be an expert. Young people are more likely to listen when they feel respected, heard and supported.
How to talk with and support a young person
Good times to talk
- When you're driving
- Going for a walk
- Cooking or doing household activities
- When smoking or vaping comes up on social media, films or television
- When your young person raises the topic themselves
You can start by saying:
- "What do young people think about vaping these days?"
- "Do students at your school talk about smoking or vaping?"
- "Have you heard much about nicotine pouches or shisha?"
- "What have you seen online about vaping?"
Tips for talking
- Stay calm and do not judge
- Listen more than you talk
- Ask questions first
- Be curious rather than critical
- Acknowledge their feelings and experiences: "Your feelings matter, and I want to understand."
Young people may experiment because of:
- Curiosity
- Influence from friends and other people their age
- Wanting to fit in
- Social media influence
- Stress, anxiety or strong emotions
- Marketing appeal, packaging, flavours or product design
Products such as vapes, shisha or other nicotine products can sometimes appear harmless or socially acceptable, but nicotine-containing products can still lead to nicotine dependence and health harms.
Knowing why a young person is interested can help you offer support without judgement.
If your young person is not using nicotine products, keep the conversation open and continue talking to them about it. Ask what they see at school or online, talk about peer pressure, and practise what they would say if someone offered them a vape or other nicotine product. Support and praise their decision not to vape.
Helpful ways to say no
- "No thanks, I don't vape."
- "It's not for me."
- "I'm focusing on my health."
These conversations help young people feel prepared and confident.
What is nicotine?
Nicotine is a highly addictive drug found in:
- Most vapes
- Cigarettes and tobacco products
- Nicotine pouches
- Some shisha products
How nicotine affects young people
Nicotine can:
- Harm the growing brain
- Affect learning and memory
- Impact focus and attention
- Affect mood and emotions
- Lead to dependence and addiction
Young people's brains are still growing, making them particularly vulnerable to nicotine addiction.
Nicotine addiction and withdrawal
Signs of nicotine dependence can include:
- Strong cravings
- Using nicotine regularly
- Finding it hard to stop
When a person stops using nicotine, they may experience withdrawal symptoms. Read more about nicotine addiction and nicotine withdrawal, and common symptoms here.
Finding out that your child is smoking or vaping can be upsetting. How you react in this moment can make a big difference. If you learn your young person is using nicotine products:
- Try to stay calm and thank them for being honest.
- Listen without judging and focus on their health and wellbeing.
- Avoid shaming, lecturing, or focusing only on punishment.
This can help you understand why they smoke or vape and how you can support them.
Reasons young people may vape or smoke, and how you can respond:
| Reason | You could respond by |
|---|---|
| Stress | Talk about healthier ways to manage stress and difficult feelings |
| To fit in | Talk about peer pressure, friendships and ways to handle pressure from others |
| Being curious | Acknowledge their curiosity and explain that nicotine is very addictive. |
| It's everywhere | Remind them that most young people don't vape or smoke. |
| Friends or family around them do it | Talk about how people around them can influence their choices. |
| They like it | Ask what they like about it and talk about the effects of nicotine and dependence |
| It helps them relax or focus | Acknowledge that it may feel helpful in the short term, then talk together about other ways to manage stress or improve focus. |
| They are already dependent | Ask about cravings and how often they use nicotine. Offer support to cut down or quit. |
Questions you could ask
- "What do you like about it?"
- "Have you thought about stopping or cutting down?"
- "Do you want help with this?"
If you smoke or vape yourself
Being honest about your own experiences can help. It shows your young person that quitting can be difficult, but support is available for you too.
.
Quitting nicotine can be difficult because nicotine is addictive.
You can support your young person by:
- Encouraging small steps towards quitting
- Helping them identify what makes them want to smoke or vape (triggers)
- Helping them find ways to manage cravings
- Celebrating their progress
- Keeping conversations open and supportive
If your young person is not ready or does not want to quit:
- Let them know you are there for support when they are ready
- Keep the conversation open and relaxed
- Keep the focus on their health and wellbeing rather than punishment
- Talk about ways to reduce harm to others, like not vaping around other people
Change takes time, and young people may try to quit more than once. This doesn’t mean they've failed. Your ongoing support and trust can help them feel ready to quit in the future.
If you want more help or personalised advice, support is available for young people and families. This includes help from doctors, nurses, other health professionals and community health services.
Quitline
Free support for:
- Parents and carers
- People who smoke
- People who vape
Call 13 78 48.open_in_new
iCanQuit.com.au
This website can help people:
- Create a quit plan
- Track progress
- Manage cravings
- Build motivation
Pave App
A free app developed by the Cancer Institute NSW to help young people quit vaping. Set a quit date, track your progress, get tips and daily check-ins, do distraction activities, celebrate milestones, and see your savings.
Download Pave from the Apple App Storeopen_in_new or Google Play.open_in_new
Shisha No Thanks
Information about the harms of shisha smoking and ways to discuss it with young people. For more information, visit Shisha No Thanks.open_in_new
One conversation is usually not enough. Keep checking in with your young person and look for opportunities to talk over time. You don’t need to know everything about vaping, smoking or nicotine products. What matters most is that your young person feels comfortable talking to you.
Listen, stay calm and offer support. Keep the conversation open and avoid judgement. Regular conversations can help young people make healthy choices and reduce the harms of smoking and vaping. If you smoke, vape or use other nicotine products yourself, support is available for you too.
Free resources to help you talk about vaping
These free resources are designed to help parents and carers better understand vaping and have informed, supportive conversations with young people. They can also be used by health professionals, educators and community organisations when talking with parents and carers about vaping.
You can download the resources below to read, share or use in presentations and conversations.
Health professionals and organisations can also order multiple printed copiesopen_in_new for delivery to workplaces, health services and community organisations.
Booklet: Talking to young people about vaping - A guide for parents and carers
