Peer Pressure Role-Play

Objective: Practice asserting refusal of vaping offers and using healthy coping strategies in realistic scenarios.

Materials:

• Peer Pressure Scenarios Cards

Instructions:

1. Set Up (1 minute)
   • Explain that you will practice saying “no” to vaping offers and using the coping strategies identified earlier.
   • Remind her that this is a safe space to try different responses.
2. Choose a Scenario Card (1 minute)
   • Have the student pick one card from the deck of Peer Pressure Scenarios Cards.
   • Read the scenario aloud together.
3. Role-Play the Scenario (2 minutes per card)
   • You play the peer offering the vape; she uses her refusal statement and one coping strategy (e.g., “No thanks, I’m not into vaping. How about we go for a walk instead?”).
   • Swap roles so she can practice being the friend offering support.
   • Repeat with one or two more cards as time allows.
4. Debrief and Feedback (1 minute)
   • Ask what felt easy or hard about each refusal.
   • Highlight effective language and confidence cues (tone, eye contact).
5. Reflection (Optional)
   • Which scenario resonated most with you?
   • Which coping strategy did you find most helpful?

Vaping Risks Chat

Purpose: To help the student explore what she knows and believes about vaping, compare it to facts, and connect the health risks to her own life and interests in a safe, non-judgmental discussion.

Discussion Guidelines

• Confidentiality: What’s shared here stays here.
• Respect: All questions and thoughts are welcome—no shame or blame.
• Honesty: Encourage sharing real opinions and concerns.

1. Warm-Up (2 minutes)

• Question: “What have you heard or seen about vaping from friends, social media, or ads?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Follow-up: “Why do you think vaping is so popular among teens?”
  
  
  
  
  
  

2. Fact Exploration (5 minutes)

• Provide the Vaping Health Risks Fact Sheet and review key points together:
  • Chemicals in vape aerosol (e.g., nicotine, formaldehyde)
  • Short-term effects (coughing, reduced stamina)
  • Long-term effects (lung damage, addiction)
• Questions:
  • “Which fact surprised you the most?”
    
    
    
  • “What questions do you have about these chemicals or effects?”
    
    
    

3. Personal Connection (5 minutes)

• Ask: “Think about something you enjoy—maybe sports, singing, or hanging out with friends. How could vaping change that experience?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Probe: “What about money—how could buying vape products affect your plans or budget?”
  
  
  

4. Myth-Busting (5 minutes)

• Present common myths and have her decide true or false, then explain:
  1. “Vaping is just flavored water vapor—harmless.”
  2. “You can quit anytime without problems.”
  3. “Vapes are always safer than cigarettes.”
• Follow-up: “Why do you think these myths spread so easily?”
  
  
  

5. Reflection & Next Steps (3 minutes)

• Summarize: “What’s one new thing you learned today?”
  
  
  
• Connect: “How might this information change how you think or what you might do if someone offers you a vape?”
  
  
  
• Transition to coping strategies: “Next, we’ll brainstorm healthy ways to handle stress or pressure. Ready to explore?”
   
   
  Materials to Link
• Vaping Health Risks Fact Sheet
• Healthy Coping Strategies Worksheet
• Peer Pressure Scenarios Cards
• Session Reflection Worksheet

Vaping Health Risks Fact Sheet

Understanding what’s really in vape aerosol and how it can affect your health helps you make smarter choices.

What’s Inside a Vape?

• Nicotine: Highly addictive; can harm teen brain development (learning, memory, attention).
• Chemicals and Irritants: Formaldehyde, acrolein, and diacetyl—linked to lung irritation and serious diseases like “popcorn lung.”
• Heavy Metals: Tiny particles of lead, nickel, and tin can enter your lungs.
• Flavoring Agents: Sweet or fruity flavors aren’t harmless—they may inflame and damage lung tissue.

Short-Term Effects

• Coughing, wheezing, sore throat
• Headaches or dizziness
• Reduced endurance in sports or activities
• Upset stomach or nausea

Long-Term Effects

• Lung Damage: Inflammation, scar tissue, breathing problems
• Heart & Blood Vessels: Increased heart rate, higher blood pressure, greater risk of heart disease
• Addiction: Nicotine dependence can lead to mood swings, trouble concentrating, and withdrawal symptoms
• Gateway Concerns: Teens who vape are more likely to try cigarettes or other substances later on

Impact on Daily Life

• Performance: Lower stamina for sports, dance, or PE class
• Money: Regular vaping can cost hundreds of dollars each year
• Goals: Addiction may distract you from school, hobbies, and future plans

The Bottom Line

Vaping is not just flavored water vapor—it exposes you to addictive nicotine and harmful chemicals that can affect your body now and years down the road. Stay informed, stay in control, and breathe easy.

Healthy Coping Strategies Worksheet

Purpose: Identify and plan healthy ways to handle stress, peer pressure, or tough emotions instead of vaping.

1. Brainstorm Coping Strategies

List as many healthy coping strategies as you can think of. Aim for at least 5 ideas.

1. ________________________________________
   
   
   
2. ________________________________________
   
   
   
3. ________________________________________
   
   
   
4. ________________________________________
   
   
   
5. ________________________________________
   
   
   
6. ________________________________________
   
   
   

2. Choose Your Top Three

From your list above, pick your three favorite strategies. For each one, describe when you’d use it and exactly how you’d do it.

1. Strategy #1: ____________________________________When I will use this strategy:
   
   
   
   
   
   
   How I will use this strategy:
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. Strategy #2: ____________________________________When I will use this strategy:
   
   
   
   
   
   
   How I will use this strategy:
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
3. Strategy #3: ____________________________________When I will use this strategy:
   
   
   
   
   
   
   How I will use this strategy:
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

3. Making a Plan

What steps or reminders will you set up to help you remember to use these strategies when you feel stressed or pressured?

4. Reflection

In your own words, explain how using these healthy coping strategies might help you stay strong if someone offers you a vape.

Great job! Keep this worksheet somewhere you can see it when you need a quick reminder of your plan.

Session Reflection Worksheet

Purpose: Reflect on today’s session, reinforce what you’ve learned, and commit to using your new skills.

1. Name something new you learned about vaping today:

1. How could vaping affect something you care about most (e.g., sports, hobbies, friends)?

1. What is one healthy coping strategy you’ll use when you feel stressed or pressured?

1. Describe a specific situation this week when you might use that strategy:

1. One personal goal I set today to help me stay vape-free:
   • Goal: ___________________________
     
     
     
   • Step I’ll take this week: ___________________________
     
     
     
2. On a scale of 1 (not confident) to 5 (very confident), how confident are you in using your coping strategy?

1. Any final thoughts or feelings about today’s session?