Youth e-cigarette use: Assessing for, and halting, the hidden habit

Abstract

Youth e-cigarette use: Assessing for, and halting, the hidden habit Using a checklist to establish patients' level of dependence and combining behavioral therapy with nicotine replacement products can help users to quit. THE CASEJoe, an 18-year-old, has been your patient for many years and has an uncomplicated medical history. He presents for his preparticipation sports examination for the upcoming high school baseball season. Joe's mother, who arrives at the office with him, tells you she's worried because she found an e-cigarette in his backpack last week. Joe says that many of the kids at his school vape and he tried it a while back and now vapes "a lot."After talking further with Joe, you realize that he is vaping every day, using a 5% nicotine pod. Based on previous consults with the behavioral health counselor in your clinic, you know that this level of vaping is about the same as smoking 1 pack of cigarettes per day in terms of nicotine exposure. Joe states that he often vapes in the bathroom at school because he cannot concentrate in class if he doesn't vape. He also reports that he had previously used 1 pod per week but had recently started vaping more to help with his cravings.You assess his withdrawal symptoms and learn that he feels on edge when he is not able to vape and that he vapes heavily before going into school because he knows he will not be able to vape again until his third passing period.