DR. WALLACE: My friend is vaping, and this makes me want to help her quit right away! This week when I was hanging out with some of my close friends, one of them pulled out a Juul smoking device and continually used it in my car. We are both 17 so I'm not sure what the rules are on this type of smoking or vaping.

After talking with her a little bit more about it, it turns out she has been smoking it for over a year now consistently because she loves the various flavors! I've come to know a lot of information about how dangerous this can be, especially to someone of our ages. I am worried about her health and how addictive this device is.

How can I voice my opinion to her so that she does not smoke anymore without me coming off as judgmental or rude? — Want to Provide Subtle Help, via email

WANT TO PROVIDE SUBTLE HELP: Well, you can use the power of the federal government to bring this topic up to her. The Food and Drug Administration just announced last week that Juul must stop selling its vaping device and its tobacco- and menthol-flavored cartridges. This action was part of a sweeping effort by the agency to bring scientific scrutiny to the multibillion-dollar vaping industry after years of looking into the potential harm these devices and the inhaled vapors can cause to young people especially.

To stay on the market, companies must show that their e-cigarettes benefit public health. This theoretically means proving that adult smokers who use them are likely to quit or reduce their smoking, while teens are unlikely to get hooked on them. But there have been indications that many teens do become regular users, just as your friend has. Juul filed an appeal with the courts, and until the courts hear the case, Juul can continue to sell its electronic cigarettes, at least for now, as this created a temporary block of the government's ban. This matter is far from settled and will no doubt stay in the news over the next few months at least.

Use this matter to show your friend just how dangerous vaping can be to a 17-year-old girl. Read up on this matter and be sure to show her all you've learned as that may convince her to stop. And if she persists, it would be wise to discreetly notify her parents so that they can have an open discussion with her about this. Your letter did not mention whether her parents know about her vaping, but my guess is that they do not yet know. You have the power to change this, and accordingly, likely help your friend in the long run.

MY OLDER BROTHER MIGHT BE BINGEING

DR. WALLACE: My older brother lives at home even though he recently turned 20 and attends a college about 25 minutes away from our family's home. He's usually home during the week but he stays with his college friends over the weekend most of the time.

I'm his younger sister and I care a lot about him since we've always been pretty close. We are the two oldest siblings out of four in total. The younger ones are 10 and 12, so the age gap leaves us with two sets of two siblings for the most part. Anyhow, I was hanging out this past weekend with my friends and I overheard at a backyard barbecue that someone was saying that my older brother is a binge drinker who blacks out! I couldn't believe my ears! Nobody knew who I was or that I was related to him, since when I overheard this my best friend was inside the house and the people talking had no idea who I was. But I know it's him they were referring to because they discussed some details like his vehicle type and his personal features.

What should I do about this if anything? I love him and don't want anything bad to happen to him. — Worried Sister, via email

WORRIED SISTER: Speak to your brother immediately and tell him directly what you heard. Let him know you love him and that you'll help him in every way you can. He may confirm this, but he might also deny it. Do your best to study him and ask around to find out if the story you heard is true.

If you're convinced it is true and if he continues to deny any binge drinking, then you must inform your parents right away. Yes, your brother is an adult as he's over 18, but he's not yet 21 so he should not be drinking alcohol at all, much less binge drinking. Since he's living in your parents' home, they have a right to know what is going on with their son while he's living under their roof.

Inform your parents for your brother's own good. If you sit silently by now that you know this, you risk living a life of regret if something tragic were to happen to him while you did nothing to try to help him get the support and assistance he urgently needs. You love your brother and if he's bingeing, he urgently needs help. Binge drinking is extremely dangerous for the drinker and for others in the immediate vicinity of such a person once deep intoxication kicks in.

Dr. Robert Wallace welcomes questions from readers. Although he is unable to reply to all of them individually, he will answer as many as possible in this column. Email him at rwallace@thegreatestgift.com. To find out more about Dr. Robert Wallace and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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