A report released in April 2024 by the Department of Health and Social Care revealed that vaping has tripled among children since 2021.
While it remains illegal for anyone under 18 to buy e-cigarettes in the UK, unfortunately this often doesn’t stop children getting their hands on these products, leaving many parents wondering whether their own children could be secretly vaping without their knowledge.
Joe Tucker, COO of Provape, analyzed 50 TikTok videos detailing how to hide vapes or small items, to uncover where your child is most likely to be secretly storing a vape.
These hiding spots, often shared by teenagers on TikTok, are designed to help their peers avoid being caught by their parents and having their vapes confiscated.
The most common hiding spots for small items according to TikTok
Where teens hide vapes, according to TikTok
Mentioned in 40% of the 50 TikToks analyzed was hiding small items inside unused clothing, inside hoodie pockets, rolled up in jumpers, or buried between socks.
Hiding small items behind paintings, canvases, and posters was the second most common location (28%). Videos often suggested taping the item to the inside of a wall canvas frame to use the dead space.
Placing items inside a pillow or pillowcase ranked third (22%), followed by hiding them in or around bedroom drawers (20%), often taped to the underside.
Stashing vapes under mattresses or bed frames was also mentioned in 20% of videos, with users tucking items between the mattress and bed frame slats.
TikTok users also suggested hiding vapes inside stuffed toys, glasses cases, jewelry boxes, or empty skincare and perfume bottles. Other hiding spots included inside plants or fake books, taped behind fixtures like ceiling fans or TVs, and in hollow hairbrushes, some even designed specifically to store vapes.
Online code words related to vaping
While vapes can be hidden almost anywhere, it isn’t recommended that you raid your child’s room in an attempt to find them. There are other signs that your teenager might be vaping – such as the language they use online.
To bypass TikTok’s censorship, sellers often disguise vapes as harmless products like lip gloss or sweets, using hashtags such as #elfbundles, #puffbars, #geekbar, #elfbar, and red-flag tags like #discreetshipping, #hiddennic, and #noID. These products may arrive concealed in items like sealed hair scrunchies.
How to talk about vaping with your kids
According to the Department of Health, 1 in 5 children have tried vaping, so it’s understandable to be concerned. Approach the subject calmly and avoid confrontation.
Instead of accusing your child, use a news story to start a natural conversation, asking their thoughts and explaining the risks in a straightforward, non-judgmental way.
Show care and sensitivity so your child feels safe opening up. Confiscating or banning vapes may cause rebellion or distrust. Instead, create a supportive environment that encourages communication and informed decision-making. This helps address the root causes and guides your child toward healthier choices.
If your child is adamant about vaping, there is no guaranteed way to make them stop. What you can do, though, is create a supportive environment that fosters communication, awareness and good decision-making. With these things in mind, you may be able to get to the root cause of your child’s vaping and give them the tools to lead healthier lives.
Post Courtesy https://provape.com/
Sources:
- TikTok
- Department of Health and Social Care – Creating a smokefree generation and tackling youth vaping: what you need to know
Methodology:
- A total of 50 TikTok videos that detailed places to hide vapes or small items such as lip gloss or lip balm were analyzed.
- The hiding locations mentioned in each video were recorded and calculated as a percentage of all videos in the sample.
- Videos were found through searches such as #vape #hidingspot as well as searches such as ‘where to hide small items.’
No comments:
Post a Comment