Bristol's stop smoking service can provide free support to parents and guardians who smoke and want to quit.
Family hubs offer general information, advice and help to all families in Bristol around a wide range of topics.
They run activities and support you and your family to access services and information both at our Family Hub centres and online.
This means you only need to go to one place for information, professionals will work together to give you advice and you only need to explain what you need help with once.
We know it's hard to quit smoking. Smoking or vaping does not make someone a bad parent or carer.
Most parents who smoke don't want their children to be harmed by their smoking or to start smoking themselves.
Here are some ways for parents who smoke or vape to set a good example around their children.
- Quit smoking to protect your children from secondhand smoke.
- If you do smoke or vape, do not smoke or vape in front of your children.
- Talk to your children about why you do not want them to smoke or vape.
If you smoke
Quit smoking
This is the best way to protect your children from secondhand smoke and make it less likely that they will start smoking one day too.
You are 4 times more likely to quit if you get support to quit smoking.
Avoid smoking in front of your children
It's unlikely you will be able to hide your smoking from them completely. But smoking away from your children keeps them safe from secondhand smoke.
It also sends the message that you do not want to be smoking or want your children to smoke.
We have advice on:
It's important to reduce the number of role models in a child's life that smoke.
Children with a parent who smokes are 4 times more likely to start smoking themselves as they get older.
Do not smoke in your home, even with the window open
Over 80% of secondhand smoke is not visible.
Young children exposed to secondhand smoke are more likely to get glue ear, sudden infant death, asthma, emphysema and other respiratory disorders.
Children and adults exposed to secondhand smoke are more likely to get asthma, heart disease, cancer (such as lung and breast cancer), stroke and dementia.
Do not smoke in your car
It's illegal to smoke in a car or other vehicles with anyone under 18 years.
Secondhand smoke in cars can be very dangerous because the small space traps the smoke, making the air quality much worse than in larger spaces like homes.
Hide your cigarettes
If your teenager decides to experiment with smoking, make it hard for them to get hold of cigarettes. Keep your cigarettes somewhere in the home they won't look.
If you vape
Avoid vaping in front of your children
Secondhand vapour is not as harmful as secondhand cigarette smoke, but it's important to reduce the number of role models in a child's life that vape.
Store your vape somewhere your children cannot reach or find
Keep vapes and vape accessories, such as e-liquids and pods in a locked cupboard or a high shelf.
Buy vapes from reputable shops
Black market vapes do not have the same safety checks as regulated vapes. They can be dangerous, particularly to children who get hold of them because their respiratory systems are less mature.
If you buy an unregulated or illegal vape, it's impossible to know what's in the vape liquid.
Buying from a reputable supplier like a specialist vape shop, pharmacy, supermarket or a UK-based online retailer is the best way to make sure you're getting a regulated and safe product.
Do not leave it charging overnight
If your vape is rechargeable, do not leave it charging overnight.
Rechargeable vapes contain lithium batteries, which can cause house fires if left charging for a long time.
Get rid of vapes responsibly
Vapes contain lithium batteries which cannot be put in regular household rubbish or recycling.
Return used vapes to the shop you bought them from or put them in a dedicated e-waste recycling bin.
Depending on how old your children are, you may want to talk about different things when talking about your smoking.
These messages were created with help from health visitors, school nurses and people in Bristol who smoke.
They match the advice your child learns in school as part of their personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education.
Talk to them when they're mature enough
When your children are mature enough, you can talk to them about smoking or vaping in a way that is appropriate for their age.
NHS Better Health provides simple information about smoking.
If you're vaping, explain to your children that vaping helps adult smokers quit smoking, and that's why you are using a vape.
Vaping is a lot less harmful than smoking, but it's not for children or adults who do not smoke.
Rules are important
Remind them of the importance of rules. For example:
"Children are not allowed to smoke because smoking is dangerous, and children's bodies are small and growing." or "Children are not allowed to vape because their bodies are small and growing, so fresh air is best for you."
Focus on positive behaviours
If you smoke, focus on positive behaviours. For example, "I go outside to smoke because it's safer for other people than smoking inside" rather than telling children to never smoke inside.
If you vape, you could say, "I vape because it's less harmful than smoking" or "vaping helps me to stop smoking and soon I will stop vaping".
Focus on the present
Focus on the present, which is easier for your children to understand.
Avoid dwelling on past choices or behaviours. For example, "I'm trying to stop smoking" rather than talking about how you wish you had never started smoking.
Be honest
If you smoke, be honest about finding it difficult to quit.
Your children may have seen you try to quit smoking several times. For example, "it's very hard to stop smoking once you've started, but I am doing my best and I am going to keep trying".
Quit vaping
Explain that one day you will stop vaping too, because you will not need to vape to keep from smoking any more.
Once you've been vaping for a while and feel sure you will not go back to smoking, you should quit vaping too.
These messages were created with help from health visitors, school nurses and people in Bristol who smoke.
They match the advice your teenager learns in school as part of their personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education.
Be credible
It's important to be credible when talking to teenagers about smoking and vaping. Don't rely on wrong or out-dated information. Before talking to your teen, you might find it helpful to read up about the facts.
Ash Scotland's talking to teens about smoking guide (PDF) provides helpful information about smoking.
NHS Better Health outlines some of the most common myths about vaping, and the facts based on scientific evidence and data.
Remind them of the law
Remind them of the laws around smoking and vaping.
It's illegal for young people under the age of 18 to buy tobacco or vapes. It's also illegal for an adult to buy tobacco or vapes for someone aged under 18.
Smoking is very addictive
Warn them that smoking is highly addictive. Most adults who smoke started smoking as children and most of the time, grow to regret it. The longer that someone has been smoking, the more difficult they will find it to quit.
You might share this with your teen, for example, "I started smoking as a child and wish I never had. Nicotine is very addictive and it's very hard for me to quit".
Remind them that most vapes also contain nicotine, which is highly addictive.
Health risks
Warn them of the health risks of smoking and how this may impact them. Even smoking a small amount can reduce fitness and cause breathlessness. For example, "I used to enjoy running or cycling or walking but since smoking, I get really out of breath and can't go as far."
If you vape, explain to your teenager that vaping helps adult smokers quit smoking, and that's why you're using one.
Vaping is a lot less harmful than smoking, but it's not for teenagers or adults who do not smoke. The long-term health impacts of vaping are unknown. For example, "I vape because it helps me to stop smoking. But if you don't smoke, don't start to vape."
It does not help with stress
Avoid reinforcing the idea that smoking helps deal with stress or anxiety. What feels like stress relief is actually relief from nicotine withdrawal.
Avoid saying things like, "I need a smoke to calm down."
It's expensive
Remind them that smoking is an expensive habit. Encourage them to think about what they could do with their money instead. For example, "if I didn't smoke, I would save £x per month. I'd rather put this money towards clothes, concerts, a car or a holiday."
It can impact friendships or relationships
Most young people do not smoke or vape. Encourage them to think about how smoking could impact relationships – would their friends still want to visit? Would their girlfriend or boyfriend still want to go out with them if they smell like smoke?
On the other hand, if your teenager smokes or vapes and a lot of their friends do too, they might worry about losing those friends if they decide to quit. Reassure them they can still be friends and chose not to smoke or vape. Their friends might even feel inspired to quit too.
Be honest
If you smoke, be honest about finding it difficult to quit.
Your teen may have seen you try to quit smoking several times. You might share your struggle with them. For example, "it's very hard to stop smoking once you've started, but I'm doing my best and I'm going to keep trying. Most people have to try a few times before they quit for good."
Prepare for resistance
Be prepared for resistance. Telling your teenager not to smoke when you smoke can come across as hypocritical.
Explain why you don't want them to smoke. For example, "I started smoking when I was your age, and you've seen how hard I've found it to stop. I don't want that for you."
Illegal vapes
Warn them about illegal or black market vapes, which are not as safe as legal devices.
Tell your teenager that there is no way of knowing the contents of a vape offered by someone else.
Quit vaping
If you vape, tell them that one day you will stop vaping too, because you will not need to vape to keep from smoking any more.
Remind them that vaping is not completely harmless and we do not yet know what the long-term impacts may be.