WIBTA if I didn’t buy my 16 year old sister a new Juul?

The laundry room’s hum turned tense as a 25-year-old woman pulled a battered Juul from the washer, sparking a family feud. Visiting home, she’d offered to wash her 16-year-old sister’s clothes, only to face tears and demands for a replacement when the vaping device was ruined. Her refusal, grounded in the device’s illegality for minors, unleashed a storm of accusations from her sister and unexpected pressure from their mom to “make it right.”

The once-pleasant family visit soured, with icy silences and canceled plans piling on the strain. The mom’s insistence that sisterly bonds trump legal and ethical concerns left the woman reeling, questioning her stance. Was standing her ground worth the family rift? As her departure loomed, Reddit users weighed in, ready to untangle this sticky sibling drama with a puff of clarity.

‘WIBTA if I didn’t buy my 16 year old sister a new Juul?’

This family clash highlights the mess of misplaced responsibility. The OP’s refusal to replace her sister’s Juul, damaged in the wash, stems from a clear boundary: it’s illegal for a 16-year-old to own one, and checking pockets was her sister’s job. Her mom’s push to prioritize sisterly harmony over legality ignores the bigger issue—enabling a minor’s nicotine use, which hooks 20% of teen vapers, per a 2022 CDC study (source: CDC).

Psychologist Dr. Lisa Damour notes, “Teens need adults to model accountability, not indulgence” (source: DrLisaDamour.com). The sister’s tantrum and the mom’s pressure deflect her failure to teach responsibility. OP’s offer to spend $50 on something else was a fair compromise, rejected by her sister’s entitlement. The mom’s “be the bigger person” plea risks normalizing unhealthy habits over ethics.

The broader issue is parenting in the face of teen rebellion. The mom’s dismissal of vaping’s risks—linked to lung issues in 10% of young users (source: American Lung Association)—undermines OP’s valid stance. By refusing, OP protects her integrity and her sister’s health, even if it strains family ties. The mom needs to address her daughter’s behavior, not guilt-trip OP.

To resolve this, OP could calmly reiterate her legal and moral concerns, offering to mend ties through quality time instead. The mom should guide the sister toward accountability, perhaps with counseling for vaping. Open dialogue could ease tension, but OP’s boundary is crucial to uphold, fostering respect over resentment in this family dynamic.

Here’s what the community had to contribute:

Reddit users rallied behind the OP, slamming her sister’s entitlement and her mom’s misguided pressure. They argued the 16-year-old should’ve checked her pockets and shouldn’t own a Juul, given its illegality and health risks. The community saw OP’s refusal as a stand for responsibility, not a rift in sisterly bonds, and criticized the mom for enabling underage vaping.

Many called the mom’s “be the bigger person” stance absurd, noting it excused the sister’s irresponsibility while ignoring the legal and ethical issues. They urged OP to hold firm, seeing her offer of alternative spending as generous. The consensus was clear: OP’s stance protected both her integrity and her sister’s well-being, despite family tension.

This vaping-fueled family drama puffs up questions of responsibility, boundaries, and parenting. The OP’s refusal to replace her teen sister’s Juul, backed by legal and ethical concerns, clashes with her mom’s plea for harmony over accountability. With family ties strained and a teen’s health at stake, where do you draw the line? How would you navigate this smoky sibling standoff? Share your thoughts below!