We are well past the point of this being a fad. When I ask if she thinks it will to have any effect on her health, she responds, “oh, absolutely”. She started vaping because her friends were doing it and she felt it was all in good fun. She doesn’t consider herself addicted but is nevertheless vaping daily. I also speak to Ava, 16, who wants to do well at school and gets along well with her teachers but doesn’t like to put huge amounts of effort into her work. “I think I’d like to quit in the future,” he says, “maybe when I turn 18.” He isn’t aware of any health risks posed by vapes. He has tried to quit seven times – even trying nicotine tablets to reduce cravings – but still struggles with his habit. He shares a similar story to Emma: “all my friends were when I started.” He has been vaping on and off for about two years, considers himself addicted, and vapes many times a day. He’s more interested in having a good time and taking it easy. He often doesn’t show up to classes and doesn’t really care about his grades. She isn’t concerned for her health at the moment, but says she’s worried about how it would be affected in the future. She felt uneasy about using resources to help her stop as she feels really embarrassed about the habit. ” S he adds that her friends would offer her theirs, and it was difficult to say no. “I tried to throw out all my vapes,” she tells me, “but it didn’t really work out. She originally didn’t consider herself addicted but now does, currently vaping multiple times a day. She was in a “dark place” at the time, and vaping made her feel a little bit relaxed. “My friends were joking about carbon ion bonds recently, and I’m worried that I got it.”Įmma first vaped after a friend offered her a puff. “I’m worried that I might be a nerd,” she jokes. Her favourite class is Māori and she’s passionate about continuing with the language. She tries hard to do well in school, isn’t rebellious, gets Excellence grades on most NCEA assignments and studies a few hours a day. Caspar Levack, a year 11 high schooler in Wellington, gets it from the horse’s mouth.Įmma, 15, has been vaping for more than a year now. Teenagers are at the centre of the conversation about vaping, but aren’t often heard from directly.

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