Help Berkshire kids create a bright,
vape-free future!

The Massachusetts Bureau of Substance Addiction Services (BSAS) recommends talking to kids about vaping around age 9.

Youth vaping is declining in the Berkshires!

  • Per the 2025 Prevention Needs Assessment, 90% of Berkshire County teens report they have not vaped in the past 30 days. This is down from 2023, and similar to national rates.

  • Simply talking to kids about vaping helps protect them.

Know The Facts!

  • Vapes are also called e-cigarettes, JUULs, Geek Bars, Elf Bars, mods, pens, sticks, dispos, nics, and tanks.

  • Most vapes have nicotine. Nicotine harms a young person’s developing brain and can lead to addiction for other substances.

  • Vape smoke contains particulates, carbon monoxide and other pollutants. The health impacts of vaping are not fully known. Avoid vaping or letting others vape indoors around people under 21.

  • In Berkshire County, some kids are vaping as early as 4th grade.

  • A common way kids are getting vapes is through older siblings and friends, who buy them online and through social media.

How to talk to kids about vaping:

There’s no perfect time to start a conversation. Driving in the car or waiting for an appointment can be a good opportunity for a clear conversation.

Start by asking what they already know.

  • “What’s your take on vaping?” “Do you know what it is?”

  • Younger children don’t need all the details, but they need to know vapes and nicotine are dangerous, and you disapprove of them.

Explain vaping in simple language.

  • “Vaping is when someone breathes in smoke from a small device. It might look like mist, but it’s not safe.”

  • Some people think it’s harmless, but it can hurt your lungs and make you sick.”

Talk about the risks. Explain the “why.”

  • “Vaping can make it harder to breathe, it can make sports harder, and it can make you sick.”

  • “Many vapes have nicotine, which can harm your brain, make it harder to concentrate, and it makes people want to keep using it even though it’s bad for them.”

Empower them to say “no.”

  • “If someone offers you a vape, you say ‘I’m good’ or ‘that’s gross!’”

  • Build their resilience. “You’re strong enough to say no!” “You don’t have to do what others are doing.”

  • Emphasize the positive. “83% of young people in the Berkshires have never vaped!” It is true that most kids don’t vape.

Let them know they can always talk to you.

  • “If you ever have questions, see something that makes you uncomfortable or worry something might get someone in trouble, you can always talk to me.”

  • Tell them you trust them but expect them not to vape. Discuss consequences if they do.

  • Wait out cravings. Delay acting on the urge to use nicotine.

  • Breathe deeply. Find ways to relax when a craving strikes.

  • Have something else. Try alternatives like gum, hard candy, or water.

  • Do something else. Walking, working on hobbies, or texting a friend can distract from the urge to vape or use tobacco.

  • Know your triggers. Places, situations, and events, as well as vulnerable emotional states (hunger, loneliness, anger, boredom) can all cause cravings.

Click below for a PDF of our brochure on vaping prevention.

If you, your child or someone you know is experiencing nicotine addiction, here are some tips:

RESOURCES

VapeFreeMass: Teens ages 13-24 can enroll for support by texting 88709.

My Life, My Quit: Provides coaching by phone, text or chat with trained youth specialists for ages 12-17. ma.mylifemyquit.org They also provide support for parents and guardians on the Resources tab

Smokefree Teen: Includes text messaging and a quitSTART app that provides strategies for tackling cravings, bad moods, and other situations. teen.smokefree.gov. For parents/ caretakers: smokefree.gov/help-others-quit