Calvert County Health Department
- Adult Evaluation Reviews (AERS)
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- Reproductive Health Clinic Schedule
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- Colorectal Cancer Awareness & Screening
- Diabetes and Prediabetes
- E-Cigarettes and Vaping
- Heart Health
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- Responsible Tobacco Retailer Program
- Skin Cancer Awareness
- Quit Tobacco Program
- Stroke Awareness
- Quit Tobacco for Pregnant Women
- Tobacco Use Prevention
Parent Education and Resources
Teenagers
Nicotine affects teenagers in that it impairs the normal development of the brain, and in essence, turns ON the addiction switch. That’s right. Nicotine rewires the hierarchy of importance placing itself first. This not only leads to addiction of nicotine but also opens that door for other substances as well.
Adult brains have a lot more white matter that is fully connected to the front part of our brain, which is where decision making occurs. When a teenager is given time to make a decision, they generally do a great job. They are in the prime of their learning process and have great rationalization skills … when they have time to make the decision.
However, when the teenager needs to make an instant decision on the spot … they are a bit more challenged because they have much more gray matter than adults. This means that it takes longer for that automatic response system to work. The neural connections are simply not there yet. And because of that they are much more likely to make a decision that will keep their parents scratching their head and wondering.
This holds true in every area of their life, and oftentimes when they are feeling the peer pressure of making a decision to vape or not to vape, they will “forget” what they know and go along with the crowd.
This is why it is so important to have conversations … meaningful conversations … often with your child or student … practicing their response to others and reminding them of the rules and expectations in your household. The more you practice, the more automatic it becomes. The more automatic the better chance of them remembering it in that moment when they don’t have the time to think through their decision. Practice builds these neural networks that are critically important in aiding your child’s ability to say “no” in the moment.
Calvert County Health Department Presents:
Parent Education Series
For parents or involved adults of teens and pre-teens.
4 weeks. 75 minutes. A small amount of time that could make a BIG difference in your child’s life.
In this series we will discuss vaping, pouches, THC and more. How to know if your child might be using nicotine or THC and what is the best way to approach the situation if they are. We will provide resources and 1st hand experience with parents who have been there. This is designed to be a supportive group setting where everyone’s voice matters and where you can share your experience to help others going through the same thing.
Resources
E-cigarettes & Vaping- What Parents Should Know
