"If they're trying to see, if it's a one-time use recently, a urine test is going to be sufficient," Lamkin said. Lamkin recommends that $50 test to parents who believe vaping has happened in the last few days. If you want to look back farther, he says a hair follicle test for $120 is a better bet.
If you are a concerned parent or social worker you can use a urine test to detect cotinine. The urine test is a good choice if a you suspect a minor has used nicotine over the last few days. An instant test provides results to parents in five to 10 minutes.
Nicotine tests can also detect nicotine in the body when people have used an electronic cigarette or a vape.
Invite your child to talk, be patient and ready to listen.
If your child is caught vaping or admits to vaping, try to stay calm and non-judgmental. Listen, don't lecture. Try to understand their feelings. Avoid showing judgment.
Young teens (ages 13 to 15): Young teens are starting to understand nuance and abstraction, but they're still unable to anticipate consequences in the same way as adults. As a result, this age group tends to be the highest risk-takers — and they're likely to have tried vaping already.
Nicotine can harm the developing adolescent brain. The brain keeps developing until about age 25. Using nicotine in adolescence can harm the parts of the brain that control attention, learning, mood, and impulse control.
It's common among teens. By learning about vaping, parents can: Talk to their kids about its health risks. Recognize if their child might be vaping.
Call your local poison center (1-800-222-1222) right away if you think a child has been exposed to e-cigarettes and liquid nicotine. Signs of nicotine poisoning include: The child feels sick or is throwing up. The child looks pale.
Nicotine from a vape can stay in the body for about 3 or 4 days, but cotinine (a metabolite of nicotine) can last up to 3 weeks after exposure. Vape can still be detected in your hair follicles up to a year after your last exposure.
While particles from conventional cigarette smoke linger in the air for upwards of 45 minutes, researchers found that those stemming from e-vapor products evaporate within seconds, even indoors.
“Vaping isn't as easy to detect as parents may think it is,” she said. “Unlike traditional cigarettes, there's not a real obvious odor.” According to the study, “vaping is easy to hide from teachers and parents, even when done in indoor areas like bedrooms, bathrooms and classrooms.”
Before giving them a harsh punishment, make sure you talk to them about why they're vaping and how often. Give them the low-down on the negative effects of vaping, but don't scare them into throwing it away. Always give them appropriate consequences and be consistent with your discipline approach.
Those are less obvious but still clear signs that someone is vaping. Parents can sometimes find evidence of vaping through smell, but the aroma of vaping can be harder to detect than the smell of cigarettes. The vapor does not stink like smoke. The smell depends on the flavor.
The reality of any vaping device, whether marketed as a “healthy” option or not, is that they are unsafe to use. The lack of research combined with a lack of federal regulation means that there is simply no evidence suggesting “healthy vapes” offer any benefit or a healthy alternative to nicotine-based devices.
The good news is that the uncomfortable feelings of withdrawal will fade over time if you stay away from vapes. The longer you go without vaping, the more your body can get used to being nicotine-free.
Brain Risks
These risks include nicotine addiction, mood disorders, and permanent lowering of impulse control. Nicotine also changes the way synapses are formed, which can harm the parts of the brain that control attention and learning.
Why teens smoke. Young people start smoking or vaping for a variety of reasons; peer pressure, the belief that it relieves stress or looks cool, to lose or control weight, easy access, and role models or family members who use tobacco.
Why do teens vape? Teens often vape because vapes come in fun flavors, have sleek enticing packaging, and can be charged in a USB port. Teens have been led to believe that vapes are much less harmful than cigarettes.
Vaping inside: what's the verdict? Ultimately, only you can decide whether you want to vape inside your home. Although vaping outside is recommended, vaping inside may be fine for someone who isn't afraid of a little extra cleaning once in a while.
Vaping overall, even without nicotine, can have harmful effects. Vaping, the act of vaporizing a liquid to inhale, is an increasingly popular alternative to cigarette smoking. However, it could damage health by irritating the lungs and throat and introducing toxins into the body.