Although it may not always seem like it, your kids are listening to you and they care about what you have to say. Parental attitudes around substance use are one of the strongest predictors of children’s future use. In other words, if you have open and honest conversations with your children about why you don’t want them to vape, drink, or do drugs, they are more likely to avoid those behaviors.
WyWeTalk.org was designed with this in mind. It is a site to help Wyoming parents understand why it’s important to have these conversations and, even better, how to have them.
Why it’s important
“As a parent, you play a vital role in guiding your children towards healthier choices. Creating a supportive and nonjudgmental environment, fostering open dialogue, and emphasizing the importance of informed decision-making can help your child resist the temptation to vape” (WyWeTalk site).
Vaping has largely replaced cigarette smoking as the preferred source of nicotine among youth. Though it has been decreasing in Sweetwater County schools, vaping is still common. According to the 2022 Wyoming Prevention Needs Assessment, a survey of students across Wyoming schools, 33.11% of Sweetwater County 10th graders and 28.59% of Sweetwater County 8th graders had vaped at least once in their life. Peer pressure, marketing, misinformation, and other factors can all contribute to kids trying vapes.
This can have serious short- and long-term consequences. Vapes contain high levels of addictive nicotine, which negatively affects brain development, causing difficulties with mood regulation, mental health, and focus while increasing the probability of addiction to other substances in the future. They also contain harmful and carcinogenic chemicals that can cause damage to the lungs and cardiovascular system. Because vapes are so new, other potential long-term effects of their use are still unknown.
What you can do
Helping your children avoid these pitfalls begins with a conversation. Visit WyWeTalk today to find conversation tips tailored to middle school, high school, and young adult children. The site also covers underage drinking, suicide prevention, and substance use if needed.
Local Resources
The Sweetwater County Prevention Coalition and Southwest Counseling Service provide free nicotine cessation groups to youth and adults who want to quit smoking, chewing, or vaping. If you’re interested in this service, use the contact information below to get started.
Contact Shae Haney [email protected] or Jayda Gatley [email protected] or call us (307) 352-6677. You can also visit our website to set up a meeting with us at www.sweetwaterpreventioncoalition.com
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