Skip to content

PARENT SUPPORT

What if I smoke or vape too?

You can still talk honestly with your child about nicotine. You do not need to pretend you have always made perfect choices yourself.

Back to Parent Support

Honesty works better than pretending

If your child says “but you do it”, you do not need a clever comeback. You can be honest.

You could say:

  • “I know. I started and it has been harder to stop than I expected.”
  • “Me using nicotine does not mean I want you to start too.”
  • “I’m not asking you to think I’m perfect. I’m asking you to understand why I’m concerned.”

That kind of conversation can be much more believable than acting as though your own use never happened.

If you smoke

Second-hand tobacco smoke is harmful to children. The best protection is a completely smokefree home and car.

If you are not ready to stop yet, keep smoking outside and away from doors and windows rather than smoking in another room or relying on ventilation.

If you vape

Vaping does not create tobacco smoke and the evidence does not show the same second-hand risks as smoking. As a precaution, NHS guidance says it is best not to vape around babies and children if you can avoid it.

It also helps avoid making vaping feel like an ordinary part of childhood.

Buying vapes for them is not the safer workaround

Some parents worry about what their child might buy elsewhere and think supplying a vape themselves is the safer option.

It is illegal for an adult to buy a nicotine vape for someone under 18. From 29th October 2026, the proxy-purchase rule expands to all vaping and nicotine products.

If you are worried about an underage sale or suspicious seller, report it rather than trying to manage the supply yourself.

Report underage or illegal sales

If you want support for yourself

You do not have to promise your child you will quit tomorrow. If you do want help to stop smoking, Help Me Quit offers free NHS support across Wales.

Visit Help Me Quit
Talking to your teen