According to a new study by the University of California, San Francisco, researchers concluded that most parents are less likely to know if their child is consuming electronic cigarettes, or vaping, compared to traditional cigarette smoking.
For the study, released in the journal Pediatrics, the UC San Francisco team tracked 23,000 participants between the ages of 12 and 17, gathered from the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health.
In the study, researchers probed the parental awareness of tobacco use among the young participants. The use of non-cigarette products, like hookahs and pipes, were also examined.
Based on the findings, the research team determined that parents were more likely to know if a child uses a tobacco or nicotine product, more so than vaping products, or electronic cigarettes.
Moreover, the implementation of strong household regulations was strongly associated with less tobacco use, in comparison to minor discussions of the nicotine-based substance.
“Tobacco use by children is troubling, and dentists, like all healthcare providers, should be concerned about preventing youth tobacco use,” the co-authors stated in a news release.
“We know that tobacco-free homes are a key tool to help prevent smoking by kids.”
“Creating tobacco-free home environments is one approach parents can use to set norms and expectations about tobacco use,” said Tsu-Shuan Wi, co-author of the study, in a news release. “And for healthcare providers, raising parental awareness should be part of overall guidance and tobacco-prevention support.”
