Some facts about teen smoking

Teenagers are at risk for very serious health problems once they begin smoking. Smoking can also lead to other bad habits suck as drinking and drug use. Parents are the biggest influence and do have the power to introduce their children to the dangers of smoking. There are other environmental factors though, that still make it easy and acceptable for teenagers to smoke. Smoking is becoming more taboo in our society than ever before with the elimination of cigarette ads, cigarettes on television, and smoking in public areas. Yet, some teens still can't help but wonder what the big fuss about smoking is. Obviously, teens who smoke are destined to inherit some serious health problems. Teen smokers have smaller lungs and weaker hearts than those teens who don't smoke. Teenage smokers are also more prone to getting sick than non smoking teens. Teenagers who partake in smoking are also much more likely to experiment with other drugs and alcohol which can cause serious problems of their own. Teens who smoke are traveling down a very dangerous road, and most don't realize that once they begin their travels, they will most likely never stop. Teen smoking facts are very important for today's young adult. The more knowledge these teenagers acquire, the more likely they will have the power to make a firm, conscious decision to never start smoking. Smoking related deaths claim more American lives than alcohol, car accidents, and suicide. Parents are the biggest influence and do have the power to introduce their children to the dangers of smoking. There are other environmental factors though, that still make it easy and acceptable for teenagers to smoke. With combined efforts from adults, teenagers could be able to get the necessary education and make the decision to not smoke

Teen smokers get addicted more quickly and from lower levels of nicotine than adults do. Smoking increases the risk of lung cancer by twelve times, but the chance of getting another form of cancer (uterine, cervical, kidney, lymphoma, leukemia) is also increased in teens who smoke. Many teens begin smoking because they see their parents smoke. If you smoke in your home, your children and grandchildren are exposed not only to second hand smoke but to what has been termed third-hand smoke - the particles that are left behind in furniture, on carpet, and on the walls and contain the same carcinogens. Smoking is a major contributing factor in a whole host of health issues that will affect teens later in life, from osteoporosis to heart disease to cancer. Even worse, though, is that teen smoking interrupts the growth and development of your child before it is complete.

The facts about smoking are stark and scary, and well-publicized, yet every day, 3000 children light up their first cigarette. The facts about smoking tell us that of those 3000 children, 1000 of them will eventually die from smoking-related health conditions. Smoking imposes huge costs on our medical infrastructure, reduces the quality of life as well as the duration, and results in billions of dollars of lost productivity in the workforce. We know that over time, one in three of these young people will be killed by illnesses directly related to their smoking habit. It is very important that the adults around them empower young people to make the right decisions for their health and longevity. Yes, young people will experiment, and take risks they don't understand, but in the long run they look to us, the adults in their lives, to provide them with direction and support in making the right choices. Educators and health professionals are clearly missing the mark with their warnings - talking up the facts about the harm smoking can do is not having any impact on the rates of young people taking up this dangerous habit.

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