Information on Teen Smoking
If you haven't started smoking by the time you're a teen, statistics from the CDC report that you will likely never become a smoker. The American Lung Association reports that 392,000 people die annually of smoking-related diseases, and 90 percent of those people started smoking in their teens. Understanding why teens smoke as well as the physical and social implications of teen smoking can help parents talk to their kids about smoking.
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Why Teens Start Smoking
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Teens know that smoking can kill you, yet the CDC reports that 3900 teens start smoking everyday. Teens start smoking because of peer pressure and naive perceptions of nicotine addiction. They don't comprehend the addictive properties of nicotine or perceive it as a drug, according to the Teen Drug Abuse website. According to HelpWithSmoking.com, within a short-period of time, teens can experience the same nicotine cravings and withdrawal symptoms as an adult. A study conducted at Brown University in 2002 concluded that teens are more likely to smoke if they have friends who smoke or if they feel alienated at school.
How Smoking Affects Teens Health
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The long term effects of smoking, such as lung cancer or heart disease, seem to have little impact to deter teen smoking, says HelpWithSmoking.com. However, KidsHealth.org reports that there are several immediate side-effects to smoking to serve as deterrents to teen smokers, such as bad skin, bad breath, bad-smelling clothes and hair, increased risk of illness, poor healing time and reduced athletic performance. The Young Women's Center for Health notes that teens who smoke actually have smaller lungs and a weaker heart than teen non-smokers. They also report that teens who smoke might experience changes in the lungs and reduced lung growth as an adult.
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Teen Smoking and Other Drugs
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Nicotine is a very powerful and addictive drug. Nicotine, a stimulant, leaves its user with a pleasant feeling. Teens who experience this "high" often choose to experiment with other substances. According to the Surgeon General, teens who smoke are three times more likely to use alcohol, eight times more likely to smoke marijuana and twenty-two more times likely to use cocaine.
Teen Smoking and Behavioral Risks
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The American Cancer Association reports that teen smokers are more likely than their non-smoking peers to get in fights, carry weapons, attempt suicide, suffer from mental health problems such as depression and to engage in high-risk sexual behaviors. Other risks include poor academic and athletic performance, higher school drop-out rates, pregnancy, stealing and other delinquent behaviors.
How Parents Can Help
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Because teen smoking can become a life-long habit, it is important for parents to help educate their teens about the ill-effects of smoking. New research from Cardiff University scientists suggests that good parenting is the best way to prevent teenage smoking. Experts at Family First Aid.org, recommend that parents talk to their teens about the dangers of smoking, teach them skills to help cope with peer pressure and be good examples as only 2 percent of smokers have parents who don't smoke.
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- Photo Credit smoking image by Andrii IURLOV from Fotolia.com
