How to Identify When a Teen Starts Smoking
Many people start smoking when they are underage and take steps to hide their behavior from their parents. There are some signs to watch for to help identify when a teen starts smoking.
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Instructions
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Check for the scent of cigarettes on your teen's clothing. You can also smell stale cigarettes in your teen's hair, although it stays on jackets and fleeces longer. Look for ash and burn marks on the cuffs of coats and long-sleeve shirts.
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Notice if your teen becomes very irritable when you spend 3 to 4 hours with her in your sight. This crankiness can be caused by nicotine withdrawal, but sometimes it can be due to normal teen and parent tensions.
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See if your teen has started to chew lots of gum or use mouthwash when he comes home. He may also start brushing his teeth at odd times during the day in an attempt to prevent tooth stains from smoking.
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Watch what your teen is doing when he goes outside without any real reason. You shouldn't follow your teen, but identify the signs of smoking when he comes back inside.
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Ask your teen if she has any friends who smoke. It may not be your place to alert the other teen's parents, but remember that kids who have friends who smoke are much more likely to pick up the habit themselves.
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Find out what your teen is spending his money on and notice if he is asking you for a few extra dollars each day or weekend. Check to see if he's buying things like air fresheners or cologne to help cover up the smell of smoke.
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Identify items in you teen's backpack or room that could be used for smoking, like lighters, matches and rolling papers. See if there are ashes around the window or if it is often left open at night. Look around the yard to see if your teen is leaving her cigarette butts in one location, like under the porch.
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Tips & Warnings
If you notice when your teen starts smoking, be upfront about it and have another discussion about the dangers and effects of the habit. Then, help her quit smoking and punish her whenever you catch her smelling like cigarettes.
Your teen may stuff a towel under his door to try to prevent the smell of smoke from leaking into the rest of the house.
If your teen starts smoking, he may have a persistent cough or complaint about a sore throat.
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Comments
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Emmaxx
Nov 04, 2008
This girl who used to be my mate smokes and she is only 12,i am 13. She started because she was hanging out with older girls and they are smokers. I have told her to stop but she just ignors me. I also ask her were she gets them from and she said she gets them from her mum and sometimes buys them off people.Her mum knows that she smokes because she found out a couple of days ago. She said she also knows this boy who might be starting our school and he smokes pot and weed (well thats what she says!) and he sometimes gives her some. She also drinks aswell, i need to find a good way to stop her. -
Emmaxx
Nov 04, 2008
This girl who used to be my mate smokes and she is only 12,i am 13. She started because she was hanging out with older girls and they are smokers. I have told her to stop but she just ignors me. I also ask her were she gets them from and she said she gets them from her mum and sometimes buys them off people.Her mum knows that she smokes because she found out a couple of days ago. She said she also knows this boy who might be starting our school and he smokes pot and weed (well thats what she says!) and he sometimes gives her some. She also drinks aswell, i need to find a good way to stop her.
